Western Road Trip Part 7 (Common and Forster's tern)

It was hard to tell the difference between the two different terns until I photographed the birds at different locations.

The first are the Forester's tern with an orange black tipped beak and longer tail projection that can be seen in the second series of photos. Please let me know if you have different opinion as I am just a beginner birder.
The first were photographed at Val Marie near Regina. The second series are from Chaplin IBA Saskatchewan.

Forster's tern. Note long tail feathers and orange feet and bill.

This Forster's tern had dropped it's catch mid-air but made an acrobatic upside down recovery.

Common terns at Chaplin, Sask June 2012

Common tern diving for fish at Chaplin IBA Sask

The water is about two feet deep.

but the fishing trip was successful

Note lack of long trail feathers and red beak and legs.