Thought I would share this info since there have been quite a few people out
viewing the Sabine’s Gull off of Daingerfield Island in Alexandria/DC area. I
kayaked the area early on Sept. 9 and stumbled upon a Caspian Tern, resting on
a floating log, just around the corner South of where the Sabine’s Gull has
been hanging out. It was about 8:30 a.m. and could clearly see this white left
leg tag “AJF”. I followed-up with the U. S. Geological Service/Canadian
Wildlife Service and received a certificate of info late last night. Last year
I shared a similar sighting for a couple of banded Caspian Terns off of Hunting
Creek that had one bird that I could clearly make out its white leg tag “AEA”.
As a coincidence, I just went back to the filing and noticed that it was almost
a year-to-the-day that I saw that Tern which was on 9/11/16. Both Caspians were
banded at Gull Island on Lake Ontario in 2008. I found it interesting, that
after locating Gull Island on a map, how closely it is aligned to being exactly
North of Washington DC (Lake Ontario Longitude 77.4270°/ Washington DC
77.0369°).
For this sighting from Saturday here is the info on this particular Caspian as
it was also tagged at Gull Island (Lake Ontario) by the same bander at the same
time in 07/02/2008.
Sep. 9, 2017
Sighting Caspian Tern — Daingerfield Island, Alexandria VA just south of
Washington DC
http://www.haussparrow.com/Photography/Newly-Added/i-7zDwg4c/A ;
<http://www.haussparrow.com/Photography/Newly-Added/i-7zDwg4c/A>
White leg tag — “AJF”
This bird was banded on 07/02/08 on Gull Island (Lake Ontario)- 4 Miles South
of Brighton, Ontario, Canada. At the time of banding the age of the bird “was
too young to fly when banded in 2008). The certificate also listed a Band
Number of 1045-35694.”
Sep. 11, 2016
Sighting Caspian Tern — Hunting Creek, Alexandria VA just south of Washington DC
http://www.haussparrow.com/Photography/Waterfowl-Marsh-Birds/i-cQCfFxd/A
White leg tag — “AEA”
This bird was banded on 07/02/08 on Gull Island (Lake Ontario)- 4 Miles South
of Brighton, Ontario, Canada. At the time of banding the age of the bird “was
too young to fly when banded in 2008). The certificate also listed a Band
Number of 1045-35637.”
-Todd Kiraly
Arlington, VA
