Least Tern Lake Smith, Kossuth County

[newtja84]

I was helping with some programming up at Water's Edge Nature Center and happened to be scanning the lake while waiting for visitors to file in, when I saw a tern doing some foraging runs.  I got my binoculars on it and was like, that's a very light, yellow bill, and the dark crown seemed to sport a whitish forehead.  I was able unfortunately to get only one admittedly terrible photograph of it as it flew across the far side of the lake stooping near the boat ramp.  

I can really think of no other tern that as a combination light-yellow bill and white forehead.  Forster's and Common's both have rather reddish beaks, and full coverage caps.  Caspian Terns beak should've been readily visible even at long distance.  And all three should've been significantly bigger than the swallows that were dancing around the lake, which this tern was more comparative to in dimension.  

-Jacob Newton

Humbolt Co.