Terns

Southern Arizona is not know for it's terns, though some do occasional find their way. The Common, Elegant, and Forster's Tern photos were all from Southern Arizona though.

Caspain Tern

Common Tern

Elegant Tern

Forster's Tern

Animal Signs: Elegant Tern

Many municipal parks have water here in Tucson which provide temporary housing and food for a variety of waterbirds. Here is an Elegant Tern perched on a sign out in the water at Lakeside Park:

Elegant Tern

Elegant Tern at Lakeside Park, Tucson, Arizona

I often go off to faraway wilderness areas to photograph wildlife. Sometimes there won't be another human in sight --- for days. On the other hand, sometimes a "rare" bird finds its way to a local municipal park amongst fishermen, dog-walkers, picnickers, etc.

Lakeside Municipal Park is such a place. A couple of years ago it was a Brown Pelican, last year it was a White Pelican, this year it was -- still is an Elegant Tern.

Yesterday I saw the ET reported at about 1:30 in the afternoon (ABA Birding News). Christine and I were there by 2:00. We walked around the lake finding the tern after a half mile or so. 

Elegant Tern