Royal Tern
Thalasseus maximus
In San Diego, we will often find Royal Terns nesting in Elegant Tern colonies at the Saltworks (part of South San Diego Bay NWR). Royal Terns will feed only their own young, and given the crowded locations where they share space with large colonies of Elegant Terns (and others), this is a remarkable skill. When returning from foraging expeditions, every hungry chick within sight does its best to convince the parent bird it deserves to be fed.
Globally, there are but two subspecies of Royal Terns:
- T. m. albididorsalis we find on the west coast of Africa.
- T. m. maximus lives in North and South America.
Unless driven by powerful storms, these birds are seldom found far from oceanic coastlines. They usually feed in estuaries and shallow lakes near the ocean, but Royal Terns sometimes feed as far as fifty miles out to sea.
When I’ve taken part in nesting tern surveys, by far, most of the birds have been Elegant Terns. Probably because there is safety in numbers, a few Royal Terns find their way into the crowds. They stand out because of their larger size and their heavier orange bill. Another trait that sets them apart is the white skull top, giving them a “Bozo-the-Clown” appearance among the black-topped Elegant Terns in their breeding finery.
I visited the Texas Gulf Coast in 2020 and 2021, and I enjoyed meeting these birds too, but there were no Elegant Tern companions. Instead, they kept company with Sandwich Terns.
41 Photos
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertibrate Zoology in Camarillo, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:02 12:25 |
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Location:
W F V Z |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/11.0, 1/5 |
File Name: D3X4720-RoyalTern |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertibrate Zoology in Camarillo, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:02 12:26 |
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Location:
W F V Z |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/11.0, 1/5 |
File Name: D3X4721-RoyalTern |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertibrate Zoology in Camarillo, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:02 12:26 |
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Location:
W F V Z |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/11.0, 1/3 |
File Name: D3X4722-RoyalTern |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertibrate Zoology in Camarillo, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:02 12:28 |
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Location:
W F V Z |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/11.0, 1/5 |
File Name: D3X4723-RoyalTern |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Bayfront Park in Chula Vista. San Diego County California 2010-08-04. |
Date Taken: 2010:08:04 11:14 |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/4000 |
File Name: JCD4020.RoyalTern |
| © 2010 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Juvenile. Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:07:29 11:34 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD4319.RoyalTern.Juvenile |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Perhaps the only Royal Tern amongst these Elegants with TWO eggs on this day. Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:20 10:25 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD9078.RoyalTern |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Single egg is likely an incomplete clutch. Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:20 10:54 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: JCD9271.RoyalTern.Egg_ |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:20 11:06 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 280 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD9354.RoyalTern |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: This image was published in the San Diego County Bird Atlas. Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Siego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2003:05:28 8:20 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: |
File Name: A3E28E10RoyalTern |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:20 10:25 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 |
File Name: Cut_JCD9078.RoyalTern |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: At the South San Diego Bay Saltworks in Chula Vista California. Part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:17 10:11 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/8000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X-1498-1 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: The beach at Border Field, south of Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:09:13 9:46 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: D3X0082-RoyalTern |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:03:05 10:31 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: D3X3463-RoyalTern |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Large groups of Elegant Terns often have a few Royal Terns in their company. Our beach at the border with Mexico can be a productive place to meet bird-life. Imperial Beach, California in San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2019:09:06 14:53 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X8513-BorderField |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Nesting with Double-Crested Cormorants at the South San Diego Bay Saltworks in Chula Vista California. Part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:17 9:18 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X1309-Cormorants |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: At the South San Diego Bay Saltworks in Chula Vista California. Part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:17 10:13 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 300 mm, f/7.1, 1/8000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X-1527 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Early morning at the La Jolla Cove with Heermann's Gull. San Diego California. |
Date Taken: 2018:07:15 9:06 |
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Location:
La Jolla Cove |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D504508-LaJolla-1 |
| © 2018 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: This Royal Tern foraging over Thomas Pond fooled me at first to believing it was an Elegant Tern. Study of the pictures revealed its true identity. My second day at Aransas NWR on Monday, was only a half day, mostly spent at Heron Flats. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:16 9:59 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D502058-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: This Royal Tern foraging over Thomas Pond fooled me at first to believing it was an Elegant Tern. Study of the pictures revealed its true identity. My second day at Aransas NWR on Monday, was only a half day, mostly spent at Heron Flats. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:16 10:00 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/1250 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D502116-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: This Royal Tern passed by our boat at eye-level. My third day of exploration of Aransas NWR was a memorable one. I boarded the tour boat the "Skimmer" and got schooled by Captain Tommy Moore on a three plus hour cruise of the back-bays and waterways beyond the view of the public from the tour roads on the reserve. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 10:47 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D503687-BoatRide-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: In San Diego, I’ve followed biologists studying Royal Tern and other nesting species. Finding these birds in Texas was a treat. The Convention Center on South Padre Island, Texas is a first rate birding destination. I spent several hours in the morning and several more in the afternoon on this day. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:30 8:41 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/6400 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D509667-South-Padre |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: This Royal Tern foraging over Thomas Pond fooled me at first to believing it was an Elegant Tern. Study of the pictures revealed its true identity. My second day at Aransas NWR on Monday, was only a half day, mostly spent at Heron Flats. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:16 9:59 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/1000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D502065-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: The Royal Terns I met on the sandy flats were courting. Sometimes this involves bribery. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:29 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X7556_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Caspian and Royal Terns were common in the shipping channel near the Convention Center. Last spring I learned how productive South Padre Island can be for birding. This was my first visit in winter and it did not disappoint. |
Date Taken: 2021:01:19 13:12 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X3045-SouthPadreIsland |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Royal Terns seem to flock with Sandwich Terns in Texas. On the West Coast their flock-mates are usually Elegant Terns. A quick Saturday morning tour of Boca Chica Beach to look for Sandwich Terns yielded my first meetings with this species, plus a few others. I hope to do a better job of capturing their images if (or when) I meet them again. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:24 10:26 |
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Location:
Boca Chica Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RoyalTern-TernFlock_D5X1057-BocaChicaBeach |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: The Royal Terns I met on the sandy flats were courting. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:36 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X7613_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: The Royal Terns I met on the sandy flats were courting. Sometimes this involves bribery. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:29 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X7568_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: The Royal Terns I met on the sandy flats were courting. Sometimes this involves bribery. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:29 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X7562_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: The Royal Terns I met on the sandy flats were courting. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:25 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X7478_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: The Royal Terns I met on the sandy flats were courting. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:18 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X7410_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: Royal Terns seem to flock with Sandwich Terns in Texas. On the West Coast their flock-mates are usually Elegant Terns. A quick Saturday morning tour of Boca Chica Beach to look for Sandwich Terns yielded my first meetings with this species, plus a few others. I hope to do a better job of capturing their images if (or when) I meet them again. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:24 10:26 |
|
Location:
Boca Chica Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RoyalTern-TernFlock_D5X1058-BocaChicaBeach |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: At the South San Diego Bay Saltworks in Chula Vista California. Part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:17 10:11 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/8000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X-1498 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: Nesting with Double-Crested Cormorants at the South San Diego Bay Saltworks in Chula Vista California. Part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:17 10:12 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 280 mm, f/7.1, 1/8000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X1516Cormorants |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Double-Crested Cormorant(Phalacrocorax auritus) |
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Description: Nesting with Royal Terns at the South San Diego Bay Saltworks in Chula Vista California. Part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:17 9:18 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: DoubleCrestedCormorant_D5X1306-NestingWithRoyalTerns |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Eyes bigger than the stomach? I met three species of tern at the South Padre Island Convention Centre during my 2024 visit. Royal Terns were one. Least Terns and Sandwich Terns were the other two. If you count skimmers as terns (I do), there were four. |
Date Taken: 2024:04:15 12:19 |
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Location:
South Padre Island Covention Cen |
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Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RoyalTern_Z9X5687_SouthPadreIsland |
| © 2024 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: I met three species of tern at the South Padre Island Convention Centre during my 2024 visit. Royal Terns were one. Least Terns and Sandwich Terns were the other two. If you count skimmers as terns (I do), there were four. |
Date Taken: 2024:04:15 12:37 |
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Location:
South Padre Island Covention Cen |
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Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RoyalTern_Z9X5945_SouthPadreIsland |
| © 2024 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: At the South San Diego Bay Saltworks in Chula Vista California. Part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:17 10:13 |
|
Location:
Saltworks |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 300 mm, f/7.1, 1/8000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X1527 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: Nesting with Double-Crested Cormorants at the South San Diego Bay Saltworks in Chula Vista California. Part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:17 10:12 |
|
Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 280 mm, f/7.1, 1/8000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X1516-AndCormorants |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
|
Description: At the South San Diego Bay Saltworks in Chula Vista California. Part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:17 10:11 |
|
Location:
Saltworks |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/8000 |
File Name: RoyalTern_D5X1498 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Royal Tern(Thalasseus maximus) |
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Description: Bird on the coast near the La Jolla Cove. San Diego County California USA 2012-01-12. |
Date Taken: 2012:01:12 8:22 |
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Location:
La Jolla Cove |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 |
File Name: D3X6323-RoyalTern-TZ |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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