The Muse is Loose

No, I did not mis-spell turn. This is about terns; beautiful birds of the lakes, bays and oceans. We have several kinds who visit us in Rockport and the area. You could see Royal, Caspian, Sandwich,Forster's, Least, Black, and maybe a Gull-billed. This morning I added another tern to my list. He is far from his normal haunts on Dry Tortugas, and Islands off the Texas/Louisiana Coast. Perhaps the oil, reaching places like the Chandelier Islands, moved the SOOTY TERN to Rockport. Whatever the reason he is a beautiful, welcome guest. SOOTY TERN was easily identified among the gulls, egrets, and terns hanging out on Rockport Beach. He is black with a noticable white spot on his forehead. Since I was the only observer at 7:25 this morning he spread those beautiful wings to preen a bit and then opened up that elegant forked tail. Sooty Tern is a lifer. That means he is the first one I have seen in my life. I definitely took a tern for the better this morning on my walk.