Ingrid, those are definitely eggs, but terns usually nest in scrapes, and a bare roof doesn't do a very good job of that. I've seen single eggs dropped like that in places where the birds ultimately didn't nest. I guess all you can do is keep watching them. Their usual clutch size is three, so if you see clumps of three eggs eventually, they are definitely trying.


It's really a tragedy that those terns are discouraged from nesting just about everywhere they go, and our economically important sacred salmonids are the reason they are so persecuted by the authorities. If only terns were good to eat, they might have a fighting chance.


Dennis Paulson




----- Original Message -----
From: semipalmata at gmail.com
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 8:03:09 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] re: Caspian Terns Breeding around Elliott Bay

Thanks very much, David, for your note about the Caspian Terns -- and for those details from the foreman of the building. I photograph these terns frequently on Elliott Bay, but owing to the distance David described -- from the rooftop to the bridge -- I don't [yet] have super-clear shots of the terns roosting/resting area. I could use some digiscoping to get a better view ? alas, no spotting scope in this household.

These images are admittedly fuzzy, but perhaps they can help establish visually, the scenario described. The first two images show the roof in the past two days, with round objects that look like eggs, but it's difficult to discern without the clarity of sharper glass. I'm still not sure what quality of fun those terns are having on that rooftop. :)

-- Caspian Tern Rooftop from May 21 and 22, 2012:

http://www.thefreequark.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/caspianternroof1.jpg

http://www.thefreequark.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/caspianternroof2.jpg

-- Caspian Terns on Elliott Bay:

loafing on beach at low tide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/taylar/7194696060/in/photostream/
bringing fish to other terns/mates: http://www.flickr.com/photos/taylar/7193881486/in/photostream

Best,
Ingrid Taylar
Seattle, WA





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