[at-l] birds, Slate

[RockDancer]

I had guessed a Forsters Tern, in non-breeding plumage and sent Frank a
picture. The terns lose most of their black head markings this time of year
and the Forsters is one of only a few that hang around the southern US at
fresh water. So if Lake Jocassee is ice-free they might be fishing in the
warm sunny south.

When Frank received the picture he said "close, but no black eye markings".
I've thought of Sanderlings & plovers too and they could be in SC on a lake.
But they are mostly brown, and almost always on the ground looking for food,
can't say if I've ever seen on hovering. 

There could be other terns to examine but Least, Roseate, Arctic, a lot of
them embark on this tremendous migration to the South Pole at this time of
year. Forsters and Common Terns stick closer to the US.

White-tailed Kites don't flock, but they do hover. They are making inroads
in the eastern US coming up from the Gulf, and they do not migrate. That's
all I've got folks!

-----Original Message-----
From: Felix J [mailto:AThiker at smithville.net] 
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2011 1:00 PM
To: Frank Looper
Cc: RockDancer; at-l
Subject: Re: [at-l] birds, Slate

On 1/24/2011 11:39 AM, Frank Looper wrote:
> I saw a flock of birds that I couldn't identify. Quiet, slightly 
> smaller than gulls, bright white with pale gray tips and hovered in 
> the breeze. They were at the top of Lake Jocassee. Any ideas?

a plover of some type?  gray tips on what? wings? tail?
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