Thank you all, again, for this excellent discussion, and for generous sharing of your knowledge!
On Mon, Jun 18, 2018 at 7:29 PM Timothy Healy <tp...@cornell.edu> wrote: > This is where many banders and field biologists often use the > abbreviations SY and ASY, for second year and after second year. The second > year, a.k.a. second summer a.k.a. year old, plumages for many species are > pretty definitive, and quite distinct from adults. In the case of COTE and > ARTE, birds stay in a plumage that resembles their initial juvenile > coloration for their second calendar year. The black-billed, > white-foreheaded birds that are so abundant at the beach this season are > coming up on a year old. This “imperfect” adult Arctic, with only some > smudges, flecks, and short streamers to separate it from a classic mature > bird, is probably at least two years old. I certainly don’t think it was > born during the last season, which is what I understand makes a second > summer bird. It may be in its third summer, or maybe it’s older and just a > little funky. I reported it on eBird as ASY, because it is definitely far > more progressed than the typical yearling birds loafing around the inlets. > > Cheers! > -Tim H > > > On Jun 18, 2018, at 7:15 PM, Steve Walter <swalte...@verizon.net> wrote: > > Tim, > > > > In normal conversation, I typically use the phrase “two year old” for > birds that I suspect were born two summers ago. But as the conversation of > recent days has alluded, there can be adults that for whatever reason, are > not complete. And adult traits may not develop in sync in younger birds. > Looking back at the weekend’s posts, I saw that Pat Lindsay made a point > about her “second summer type” having a black bill. Today’s had a red bill. > So a two year old? Probably. But definitely? Maybe, maybe not. It looks > like it – so “second summer type” works for the public record. > > > > Steve > > > > > > *From:* Timothy Healy [mailto:tp...@cornell.edu <tp...@cornell.edu>] > *Sent:* Monday, June 18, 2018 6:49 PM > *To:* Steve Walter <swalte...@verizon.net> > *Cc:* NYSBIRDS <nysbird...@list.cornell.edu> > *Subject:* Re: [nysbirds-l] Nickerson Beach Arctic Tern and others > > > > Steve and other sternid enthusiasts, > > > > Isn’t second summer the term used for the immature aspect birds with white > foreheads and black bills? A freshly fledged juvenile would be living > through its first summer, so second summer individuals are yearlings, > correct? If my understanding of the nomenclature is accurate, the bird I > found yesterday, which matches Steve’s description and the photos of > Tripper’s bird from Friday, would be in its third summer or older. At a > glance it looks like a classic alternate plumage adult ARTE, but the faint > darker smudging on the carpal bar and the tail streamers that don’t extend > beyond the folded wingtips indicate that it is not fully mature. I saw a > similarly marked individual at Nickerson last year, and in 2015 I got a > photo of an adult-like ARTE with a surprisingly dark bill. The variation in > age classes and species of terns is so fascinating. I’ve learned a lot from > these discussions about Arctics, Roseates, and the mysterious dark Commons. > Mornings and afternoons at the colonies and inlets are one of my favorite > parts of early summer here on Long Island. > > > > Cheers! > > -Tim H > > > On Jun 18, 2018, at 6:05 PM, Steve Walter <swalte...@verizon.net> wrote: > > Another day, another *Arctic Tern* at Nickerson Beach. Actually, my first > for the year, and this one had to be waited on. It might have been too > foggy in the morning for it to find land (joke). Interesting bird this one. > My tern guru advises me to call it a “second summer type”. Basically adult > looking with a red bill, but with a carpal bar and speckling on the > forehead (not well visible in the picture I posted). In a similar vein, > there was a Roseate Tern of less than full adult appearance. This bird, and > also a full adult, had readable blue legs bands. Maybe others have seen > this, but this is the first time I’ve seen terns with something more > readable in the field than the metal bands. I’ll reports these (bands B97 > and Y11) and find out more in due time. But perhaps someone on this list > might know something (Joe D?). Also, *a Gull-billed Tern* flying over > the east tern colony around mid-day. Pictures of the Arctic and Roseates > have been added to the bottom of the Recent Work page at my web site > http://stevewalternature.com/ . > > > > Steve Walter > > Bayside, NY > > -- > > *NYSbirds-L List Info:* > > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm> > > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm> > > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > > *Archives:* > > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L> > > ABA <http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01> > > *Please submit your observations to **eBird* > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>*!* > > -- > > -- > *NYSbirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm> > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L> > ABA <http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01> > *Please submit your observations to **eBird* > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>*!* > -- > -- Pat Aitken | 516.857.7567 -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
