From a small town to a big city...
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A Birding Blog
By Jared Conaway
From a small town to a big city...
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Hi everyone! A few hours ago I went to the GRPs for a Common Tern. More on that in a moment. First, I know you're wondering when my next big post will be, so I just want to say there is a few on their way. One of them I started 4 months ago! Another one is a high elevation adventure that turned out better than expected almost 1 month ago. Also, I would like to do an update on Pup (y fish) sometime, hopefully soon. Lastly, can you believe this blog has already been around for almost a year!? I will do a special edition on November 2nd, looking back on the highlights that have happened within my 365 blogging days. However, I will also announce a couple things that I want to make happen even bigger than that, not a joke! So stay tuned for November 2nd! On with the post: There has been a Common tern @ the GRPs (my patch) since September 28th, found by Jeff Ritz. These last couple days have drastically cooled down (lows high 50s, highs low 80s) and the weather is supposed to remain beautiful for the rest of the week. With the weather so fantastic, today was a perfect opportunity to go after the tern. So we did, we as in my Mom & I. Pupper here emerged up from empty basin 4 from 20 ft. away. I wasn't nervous as Coyotes are skittish dogs. A flock of Ring-billed Gulls with the long-continuing CALIFORNIA GULL were flying over basin 6, with no sign of the tern. I don't normally photograph GRBH, but I thought this was interesting. After about 15 minutes of looking around, I noticed the COMMON TERN soaring! He started out in the back, quickly approaching me. He full-circled too fast for ideal focus. This shot in particular he was pretty close, speeding over the bank low & then going back up high. I observed him for a few seconds before somehow losing him for a good 15 minutes. After a bit I checked basin #1, the only other pond with water right now. He wasn't in there. After those sad 15 minutes were over, he came back! I am extremely blessed that this tern wasn't a one day wonder, as most terns here are. Also, with the weather combined with this tern, which resembles Arctic, I felt like I was in Alaska today. This is also my 378th life bird (yeah, I'm a few posts behind....), ever closer to my year goal of 400. Eventually he did what I had hoped he'd do; Fly directly overhead! These are my best pix I received and made for the best experience with my new buddy. Note that his leg is hanging down, that is because it's broken. Its only been like that for a few days.
Common Tern has a large summering range, across northern North America, Europe & Asia, with local populations in the Bahamas, 2 in north east South America, India, & some on various islands near Africa. They winter on the coasts of all continents except Europe & Antarctica. It is rare but regular mostly in late fall in Arizona. This individual is within that time frame. Distinguishing features from Forster's (more regular in state and in Maricopa CO.) are dark nape, dark carpal-line (shoulder to elbow, on upperwing), Sharper wings & thinner bill. On the other hand, Arctic Tern has tiny all-red bill, very tiny legs/feet, long tail/deeper fork, light-colored primaries, & pale upper wings. Anyways, Common Tern was a really fun bird, as every tern I've seen (4 species now), it was highly enjoyable. He was also more acrobatic than my previous terns. I should also mention that it was my 158th GRPs bird. Let's see if I can get up to 200 patchies by the end of 2018... The rest of the highlights were: 2 BANK SWALLOWS (rare), a VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, 2 OSPREYS, and a GREEN HERON. Also interesting was that the riparian section was flooded from last nights huge rain/lightning storm. There you have it, my first post in a while! Stay tuned for my epic upcoming posts, & remember to stay tuned for November 2nd! #likecommentsharefollowplz. Now, get out there, and go pet a ptarmigan!
1 Comment
Gabe
11/7/2018 06:46:02 pm
Jared!! I love your blog. Great pictures. Im waiting for that special announcement for November 2nd. Dont leave us in the dark!
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December 2019
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