Subject: [Tweeters] Caspian Terns in the Evening
Date: Jun 27 21:51:02 2011
From: Gary Smith - gsmith at smithandstark.com


Dee,



I've wondered the same thing. We usually see Caspian Terns fishing much
more consistently in the mornings and evenings than mid-day. Since I mainly
observe them from this one spot and don't know what they do or where they go
the rest of the time, it's pretty hard to know. If they do fish more
intently early and late, one hypothesis might be that their prey, which
presumably includes juvenile salmon, might swim closer to the surface in
lower light. Or maybe their success is higher when the light isn't casting
their shadow on the water directly underneath them, or maybe they see better
when the light isn't straight down, or maybe they prefer dinner and
breakfast over lunch!



Other ideas, observations out there?



Gary T. Smith

Alki Point



From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu
[mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Beach Dee
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 9:05 PM
To: TWEETERS
Subject: [Tweeters] Caspian Terns in the Evening



Probably everyone else knew about this but me, but I've been intrigued this
past week or so by the rasping calls and varied flight patterns of Caspian
Terns just around sunset time. I'll be out for a last "fuss in the garden"
fix, and then hear them. One evening there were a pair chasing round and
round, not too high; on other evenings they've been Really Far Up There,
sillhouetted and the raspy call still discernable. Sometimes inbetween and
varied, and always calling. Usually have seen no more than 4, at a time,but
this evening (Monday) 9 flew over at once. Anyway, something new for me,
observed from my yard (a block from the Sound), nearly every evening since I
first noticed them a little over a week ago. I've often spent much of the
day out in the garden during this same time-period and don't remember ever
noticing this during the day, just these evenings; indeed, never before this
past week, at any time (it's our 3rd spring/summer at this particular
location). Wouldn't mind hearing input/anecdotes/observations from others,
and learning a bit about this behavior.

Dee Warnock
Beachdee at hotmail.com
Edmonds, WA