I am sensitive to my New England bias. For one, I was born and raised here. For two, SEANET is based here, and for three, it’s where we continue to have the most beaches and beach walkers. I am constantly working to rectify this, however, and I am very proud of our expansion over the last couple of years into North Carolina (thanks to John Stanton for that). So today, I would like to feature North Carolina birds in the quiz. One is a really tough one–just a single wing. The other one may prove easy for you southerners, and may flummox our northern contingent. We’ll see. Bring on the guesses, my beloved readers!
Bird A, pretty well intact.
Bird B, upper surface of right wing.
and underside of Bird B’s wing.
A Looks like a Forsters Tern, and the wings look like Juvenile Laughing Gull.
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to make it interesting, I’ll guess black gull for wings.
Bird A: Forster’s Tern
Bird B: Sooty Shearwater
I agree with bird A, Forster’s Tern (too bad I didn’t find it, I don’t have this species in my collection
).
B is difficult indeed. it could be a gull or a larger shearwater, but the coracoid bone which is still attached to the wing does look more like a procellariform. However, there is too much white on the underside for a Sooty IMO, therefore my guess will be Greater Shearwater.