Whiskered Tern + WWBTs, Pukorokoro Miranda

[Michael Szabo]

This checklist says they saw "2 Gull-billed Terns and 2 White-winged Black Terns" at Pukorokoro Miranda yesterday but the photos appear to show 1 or possibly 2 Whiskered Tern/s and 2 WWBTs with some slight variations in markings:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S131321624

[phil hammond]

The supposed photos of Gull billed Tern appear to be of WWBT

[Jan]

Nice video of WWBT too.

[Michael Szabo]

Have edited the title of the thread.

[bradley_birdsnz]

Taking a closer look at the videos and photos head markings and relatively large bill just don't look right for WWBT. Bird also seemed to be flying in a different way to GBT. So why not whiskered tern?

Cheers, Bradley.

[Oscar Thomas]

The supposed photos of Gull billed Tern appear to be of WWBT

I thought so too but the bill must be too big for WWBT, and it's definitely a bigger bird when you watch the video. I agree with Bradley looks more like Whiskered tern.

[Michael Szabo]

Thanks for your comments Bradley and Oscar, I've edited the thread name accordingly.

[andrewcrossland]

I had the same thoughts last night - theres' that one bird that appears to have a grey back, grey rump, grey tail combination. Any more pics?

[Michael Szabo]

Only what they've posted with their checklist but I've called Keith Woodley at the shorebird centre and he says that David Lawrie and Phil Battley are visiting today so he will alert them to this sighting and they may be able to relocate the bird/s between them.

[David Lawrie]

I was at Miranda today, and i did not see any strange Terns over the ponds or on the shell bank
Just a good range of the usual birds with some of Golden Plover assuming good plumage