One of the prettiest Terns I’ve saw on last weeks trip to the OBX was the Forsters Tern. With jet black caps and orange bills, adults in breeding plumage look very similar to Common Terns, but this bird is dressed in non breeding plumage with that distinctive black spot behind its eye which made this ID a lot easier.

Did you know that the Forster’s tern is the only tern species that is found exclusively in North America?
They are named after Johann Reinhold Forster, a German naturalist who accompanied Captain Cook on his second voyage around the world from 1772-1775.
Pretty cool huh?

Photo by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame SLR, the @canonusa
#5Ds