This is a cool and instructive record. In the past on this listserve, Vic Fazio, Bill Whan, and others have mentioned the importance of knowing the normal dates of occurrence of bird species: for one thing, a bird that shows up at an unexpected season may turn out to be something unusual. The classic example of that would involve hummingbirds in late fall, which often turn out NOT to be Ruby-throateds. And the present bird at Hoover Reservoir is another fine example: exceptionally early for a tern in Ohio, it doesn't belong to any of the tern species normally found here at any season.

The photos posted so far have already established that the bird isn't a Caspian Tern, and it will almost certainly prove to be a Royal Tern. But it still would be worthwhile for people to try to get further documentary photos, especially more closeups that show the profile of the bill and details of the wings and tail. Presumably the records committee will want to rule out other, extralimital species, such as Elegant Tern and Lesser Crested Tern. I'm reasonably convinced that it's not an Elegant, based on bill shape as seen in the photos, and it doesn't suggest Lesser Crested to me, but that species is variable and I don't know it very well. Of course either of these would be far out of range, but terns have been proven capable of long-distance vagrancy.

Kenn Kaufman
Oak Harbor, OH

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