White-winged Black Tern, Clive - Hawkes Bay

[Michael Szabo]

Colin Shields reports via Facebook photographing this White-winged Black Tern with the White-fronted Tern flock on the east Clive coast today.

[Michael Szabo]

Bernie Kelly reports via eBird that a single WWBT was present again this morning:
https://ebird.org/atlasnz/checklist/S123347268

[Michael Szabo]

Judith White reports 2 White-winged Black Terns in basic plumage today at Waitangi RP in Hawke's Bay during a WINGS tour:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S123620215? ... FksknakATA

[sav]

Hi all,

The HB White-winged Tern has reappeared after going missing since 4 Feb 2023. It was at the mouth of the Tukituki River at Haumoana this afternoon. It is hard to imagine that this is not the same individual that was in the area for all of 2022, and is clearly an adult in non-breeding plumage - so I presume a Southern hemisphere breeding bird?

Three Black-fronted Terns also present today.

cheers

[sav]

Hi all,

The White-winged Tern was once again at Haumoana this afternoon, feeding in the surf with at least 30 Black-fronted Terns (highest count this winter). Viewing conditions were far from ideal with the birds wheeling about with a few hundred Red- and Black-billed Gulls in a blustery wind.
There may have been 35 BFTs.

cheers

[sav]

Hi all,

The WWTern was present again late morning today.

cheers

[sav]

Hi all,

Showing again this arvo - not seen yesterday.

cheers

[sav]

Hi all,

The HB White-winged Tern has re-appeared! Found yesterday afternoon by a local birder and seen again this morning - in the lagoon at Haumoana at the mouth of the Tukituki River.

cheers

[sav]

Hi all,

The White-winged Tern was present Friday afternoon, alongside a first year Black-fronted Tern (which in October in North Is is probably a rarer bird than the WWTE!).

cheers