Gull-billed Terns Nesting

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Clinton9
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Re: Gull-billed Terns Nesting

Postby Clinton9 » Wed Dec 25, 2019 1:03 am

Unfortunately these GBTs are first time parents and might end up have one chick reach flying stage, or no chicks. Even sandy-colored chicks laying on sand and parents being aggressive toward SBBGs, are useless against SBBGs"s good eyesight.
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TheBirderman
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Re: Gull-billed Terns Nesting

Postby TheBirderman » Wed Dec 25, 2019 10:47 am

Great to see this species nesting in NZ - even if this attempt fails it will still be a historic achievement in the history of GBT in NZ.

Cheers
Phil Rhodes
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Re: Gull-billed Terns Nesting

Postby Phil Rhodes » Fri Dec 27, 2019 2:37 pm

Visited the site this morning but just stayed on the edge of the SBBG colony as one of the GBT pair and a Caspian joined in with 60 or 70 SBBG to give me a hurry up. Weather turned really nasty so left them in peace.
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Steve Wood
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Re: Gull-billed Terns Nesting

Postby Steve Wood » Sat Dec 28, 2019 4:48 pm

Hi all,
Do you think someone should up date the correct name for this bird now that it has been split. Just keeps it all tidy.
Sub species looks clear, macrotarsa.

Great report.
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nzsam
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Location: Gore, Southland
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Re: Gull-billed Terns Nesting

Postby nzsam » Sat Jan 04, 2020 8:24 pm

A fortnight following my previous visit I finally managed to return today. It was the first time I encountered people fishing off the end of the spit. A lot of the vegetation appeared flattened and there were tyre tracks close to where the nest was and the nest was empty. The only birds still present were the SBBGs and the pair of Caspian terns. Close to the bridge, about 1 Km west of where the nest was, one GBT momentarily hovered above me as I walked back along the water's edge then it disappeared across the other side of the spit.
Clinton9
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Re: Gull-billed Terns Nesting

Postby Clinton9 » Sat Jan 04, 2020 8:47 pm

Shame on people for disturbing the breeding colony, but next year the parent GBT will breed again.
Clinton9
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Re: Gull-billed Terns Nesting

Postby Clinton9 » Sat Jan 04, 2020 9:00 pm

GBT eggs take 22 days to hatch and chicks start flying at 4 or 5 week-old.
Davidthomas
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Re: Gull-billed Terns Nesting

Postby Davidthomas » Sat Jan 04, 2020 9:02 pm

Oh dear how frustrating Glenda. Do you think it’s worth mentioning to DoC so they can ensure people don’t disturb the birds in the future?
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Neil Fitzgerald
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Re: Gull-billed Terns Nesting

Postby Neil Fitzgerald » Mon Jan 06, 2020 1:16 pm

Steve Wood wrote:Hi all,
Do you think someone should up date the correct name for this bird now that it has been split. Just keeps it all tidy.
Sub species looks clear, macrotarsa.

Great report.

Hi Steve, are there separate common names recognised for the ssp? NZBO doesn't mention them.
Davidthomas
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Re: Gull-billed Terns Nesting

Postby Davidthomas » Mon Jan 06, 2020 2:02 pm

They’ve recently been split by the IOC with macro tarsh now becoming the Australian Tern split from the Gull-billed Tern of south east Asia etc.

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