Arctic Tern? - Whanganui River Estuary
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Paul Gibson
- Posts: 265
- Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:49 am
- Location: Whanganui
Arctic Tern? - Whanganui River Estuary
This morning, I found a lone tern on the Whanganui River Estuary mud, and the short legs called my attention to it. It was with some scattered, red-billed gulls, but apart from some Caspians, there was not another tern in sight. I believe, as do some other birders, that it is likely an arctic tern? I returned this afternoon, but could not locate it again.
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Adam C
- Posts: 672
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2011 8:58 am
Re: Arctic Tern? - Whanganui River Estuary
Primary pattern suggests White-Fronted Paul.
“Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”
Samuel Ullman
Samuel Ullman
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Paul Gibson
- Posts: 265
- Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:49 am
- Location: Whanganui
Re: Arctic Tern? - Whanganui River Estuary
You are right Adam that the plumage suggests White-fronted, but that is also just like an Arctic immature non-breeding bird - see artwork below from The Australian Bird Guide. However, the bird certainly did not have the legs of a white-fronted, they were really short. Unfortunately, I did not get a picture in flight to see if the primaries were translucent.