Bird #176 — Forster’s Tern

sterna (tern) forsteri (given in 1834 by Thomas Nuttall in honor of Johann R. Forster, German naturalist)

Thursday, July 21, 1980 — 12:30 pm

Waukegan, Illinois — Waukegan Harbor — Lake Michigan

My friends and I were standing near the tip of one of the cement breakwaters that extend out into the lake to form the harbor mouth.  A large flock of gulls and terns was lined up on the parallel breakwater, about 80 feet away. This lone Forster’s Tern was standing with the Common Terns.  We could clearly see the dark patches extending back from the eyes but not continuing around the back of the head.

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