MEGA - multiple Gull-billed Terns at Manawatu Estuary

[Peter Frost]

Sav,
Four GBTs, all immatures, were present on the Manawatu estuary on 11 November. They flew in from the river mouth between 11:35 and 11:55, just over an hour after high tide. I reported this under Great Knot (which was not seen): see http://www.birdingnz.net/forum/viewtopi ... t=10#p6299. So, for the record, the birds were present in November as well.

Peter

[craigsteed]

Similar to Peter, I reported them in the Great Knot thread, Nov 3. Just to note as well.
Cheers,
Craig.

[sav]

2 GBTerns present today over high tide - Saturday 17th Dec.

[ledzep]

Five Gull-billed Terns at Manawatu Estuary today, feeding in the marshes on the southern bank opposite the boat ramp. Photo below shows 4 of them in the reeds (with Godwits and a few Knots nearby), one with black cap. This was just after the 4 pm high tide.

(45.22 KiB) Viewed 5431 times

[Clinton9]

One breeding adult and four nonbreeding immature GBTerns...Where are these other 14 GBTerns ???

10 breeding adult GBTerns might be just hatching their New Zealand-born chicks, by now, with their next-door Caspian terns just hatching their sandy-coloured chicks.

Do look for Caspian tern colonies...you might find breeding GBTerns.

When juvenile GBTerns flying for first time, their mantles & scarpulars will be have light brown tips to grey scarpular feathers.
Take about a month for GBTern to rear chicks to flying stage, with chicks able to fly at 25 days old in windy weather.
Mark the dates for sight of flying Juvenile GBTerns...Mid January-early March 2012.

When juvenile GBTerns arrive at where the five GBTerns in Manawatu Estuary today, ...Do check for scattered brown-tipped juvenile scarpular feathers.

GBTerns lay 3 eggs, this means numbers will reach 35-40 birds by March 2012.

GBTerns are good controller of pesty crickets and insects.

Clinton.

[sav]

All 5 GBTs present today around midday (high tide) on the sandspit.
cheers and Merry Christmas

[craigsteed]

All 5 birds present on the spit right now

[Alan Tennyson]

All five present again yesterday (29 Dec) on the sandspit at high tide. It looks like 2 or 3 of the paler headed birds are getting more black in their caps now too.
cheers
Alan

[sav]

There were 2 GBTs present this afternoon, on the sandspit.

[ledzep]

At least one Gull Billed Tern at Foxton Beach this morning, breeding plumage. It took to the air several times and I spotted it flying around - I think it was the same bird but possibility there was more than one.

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