Forster’s Terns

Forster’s tern and friend

By Mia McPherson, on March 28th, 2013%

Forster’s Tern and friend

This Forster’s Tern image was taken several years ago on Fort De Soto County Park’s north beach while it was resting on the sand as another tern was flying towards us both. I was laying on the sand photographing the resting tern for a low angle perspective.

Mia

Some of the Birds I love at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge

By Mia McPherson, on February 6th, 2013%

One of my favorite locations to photograph birds in northern Utah is Bear River National Wildlife Refuge. I’ve selected some of the birds there that delight and entertain me while I observe and photograph them.

Eastern Kingbird

There are several different species of Flycatcher that visit the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, among them the ones I see most often during the warmer months are the Eastern Kingbirds…

Western Kingbird

and Western Kingbirds. Both of them look rather dapper in my opinion.

Male Black-necked Stilt

There are also many shorebirds the pass through or nest on the refuge, Black-necked Stilts nest on the refuge…

American Avocet

as do American Avocets. Both of these shorebirds appear rather elegant in looks and movements.

Black-crowned Night Heron

Black-crowned Night Herons are common wading birds at the refuge and despite their name, they aren’t strictly nocturnal. Black-crowned Night Herons are year round residents…

Snowy Egret in flight

but Snowy Egrets are not, they migrate to the refuge. This Snowy Egret is showing the peachy-colored lores seen during the breeding season.

Barn Owl flying in the snow

Barn Owls are year-round residents of the refuge and although they are primarily nocturnal they do fly during the day when the weather is bitter cold and there is heavy snow cover on the ground and they will fly later at dawn and earlier at dusk when they have chicks to feed. This one was flying during the day as the snow fell.

Swainson’s Hawk

Swainson’s Hawks are also migratory birds and they are seen on the refuge during the warmer months. Their diet consists primarily of insects like grasshoppers and there aren’t many of those around during the cold months in Utah.

American White Pelican

American White Pelicans also nest on the refuge and come into to feed on fish in the fresh water impoundments.

Male Yellow-headed Blackbird

Yellow-headed Blackbirds, with their mechanical sounding call, can be found perching in cattails, reeds, phragmites and other vegetation as they forage for food. I was tickled to get this male in this pose.

Western Grebe

The most common found grebes on the refuge are Pied-billed, Clark’s and Western although Eared and Horned Grebes are also spotted there at different times of the year.

Tundra Swan

Tundra Swans by the thousands call the refuge home during the winter and can be seen flying overhead, swimming in open water or standing on ice. This adult shows a stained head and neck.

Marsh Wren

The sound of Marsh Wrens can be heard all over the refuge, they may be tiny but their voices aren’t.

Cinnamon x Green-winged Teal hybrid

All types of ducks can be found on the refuge during different seasons of the year. It pays to keep a look out for unusual ducks, you never know when a hybrid might be seen like this Cinnamon x Green-winged Teal.

Forester’s Tern

Terns and gulls can also been seeing hunting over the water and nesting there as well. This Forester’s Tern in breeding plumage was hunting for small fish.

This is just a small selection of the birds that can be found at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge, a location that I treasure.

Mia

Forster’s Terns

By Mia McPherson, on April 8th, 2012%

When I moved from Florida to Utah I felt it was fortunate that some of the nonbreeding birds I used to see in Florida during the winter I now get to see in breeding plumage on their nesting grounds.

Nonbreeding Forster’s Tern – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/800, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light

The image above shows a nonbreeding Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri) that I photographed at Fort De Soto County Park in Florida during the month of February a few years ago. Note the dark bill and the dark mask with the pale nape on this bird.

Breeding Forster’s Tern on nest – Nikon D200, f8, 1/2000, ISO 320, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

The photograph above was taken at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge in Utah of an adult Forster’s Tern in breeding plumage on a nest that this bird and its mate were building. Note the black cap and how the bill is now orange with a distinct black tip.

I wish I would have been able to photograph the Forster’s Terns as they raised their young but this was taken the day before the Bear River closed the roads for construction that summer. It was a real pity too because this nest was not far from the gravel road of the auto tour route. Barring any unforeseen flooding this year the roads should remain open and I might just get the opportunity to photograph these graceful terns with their young.

Mia

More Forster’s Tern images