I am sitting on the gravel beach at the Round Pond State Park - not really paying attention to anything in particular. Suddenly a Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) appears, soaring along the shoreline directly towards me. It hovers for just a second and then dives into the water after a fish. No luck. It rises and continues on its way.
There are three terns common to Lake Champlain. The Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), the Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) and the Black Tern (Chlidonias niger). Common Terns are considered "endangered". Black Terns and Caspian Terns are considered "critically imperiled". So, a chance to see any of the three "Vermont" Terns is a real treat.
