White-winged black tern, Waituna, Southland

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sjacques
Posts: 194
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:28 pm

White-winged black tern, Waituna, Southland

Postby sjacques » Fri Nov 11, 2022 1:54 pm

Basic plumaged adult hawking flies on a flooded flash area just North of Waituna lagoon, now settled on a wee island.

Cheers,
Sean
sjacques
Posts: 194
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:28 pm

Re: White-winged black tern, Waituna, Southland

Postby sjacques » Sat Nov 12, 2022 7:57 am

Showing very well yesterday afternoon, to the extent that even I managed some passable smudgers. Gorgeous birds in any plumage, interesting to note here the moult step in the flight feathers where the fresh inner primaries are growing in.

It's chosen habitat is a rather sumptuous flooded paddock with a mix of unvegetated edges, emergent rushes and little islands. Hoaching with pied stilts and grey teal yesterday; a potentially rewarding spot to keep an eye on and easily viewed from the minor road immediately to South.

Cheers,
Sean
WWBT Waituna better crop 11-11-22.JPG
WWBT Waituna better crop 11-11-22.JPG (231.11 KiB) Viewed 1432 times
FraserGurney
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Re: White-winged black tern, Waituna, Southland

Postby FraserGurney » Wed Feb 15, 2023 9:30 pm

There were two white-winged black terns at Waituna today. Both were roosting with black-fronted terns out on islands in the lagoon and were making foraging flights around the general area. Viewable from right by the car park.
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Oscar Thomas
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Re: White-winged black tern, Waituna, Southland

Postby Oscar Thomas » Sun Feb 26, 2023 5:32 pm

One bird seen well on the lagoon today, very active and worth the wet feet for some photos: https://ebird.org/atlasnz/checklist/S129654582
bradley_birdsnz
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Re: White-winged black tern, Waituna, Southland

Postby bradley_birdsnz » Sat Mar 18, 2023 11:47 pm

White winged tern present again this arvo. Showing very well with black fronted terns and a lone Caspian tern.

Cheers, Bradley
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IMG_0405.jpg (319.85 KiB) Viewed 778 times
sjacques
Posts: 194
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:28 pm

Re: White-winged black tern, Waituna, Southland

Postby sjacques » Sun Feb 04, 2024 5:55 pm

There have been at least three different WWBT at Waituna lagoon over the past couple of weeks. Two of these were northern cycle birds; an immature seen by Joe Bliss on 22/01, and a much paler, adult-type seen by Richard Schofield on 30/01. Yesterday I had what I think must be a southern cycle bird transitioning out of breeding plumage (pictured). The lagoon has been opened to the sea very recently as an emergency measure due to a toxic algae bloom and this has suddenly exposed/created a lot of shoreline, flats and shallow areas which were thronged with wetland birds during my all too brief visit - worth a trip if anyone is in the vicinity over the next wee while. Very pleasing to see lots of juvenile black-fronted terns; of 51 perched on the shoreline near the lagoon opening yesterday, 50 were juveniles. Hopefully this is an indication of a good breeding season in at least part of their range.

Cheers,
Sean
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IMG_4461.JPG (508.69 KiB) Viewed 290 times

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