Gull-billed Tern at Foxton Beach

[imogen]

Spotted by my new birding hero Harry Boorman on Monday.

[Michael Szabo]

Could this be a Whiskered Tern as it has red legs and a bit of red visible in the nostril?

[harryhatman]

Probably not much help as light and distance were huge obstacles for my camera but you can see the back and size comparison next to caspian terms if that helps?

I have to say that other than the red legs it looks more gull billed to me and that was my instant thought after seeing it in the field. It was very pale on the back and breast. More so than Imogen’s photo might suggest due to fading light.

[harryhatman]

And here

[Michael Szabo]

Other suggestions made are a hybrid of some sort or a dainty/tiny female [Gull-billed] Australian Tern.

[Steve Wood]

Interesting Leg colour, definitely look red.
Cant find anything that suggest Australian Tern or as you prefer Gull billed Tern, can have anything other than Black legs.

[Oscar Thomas]

Interesting Leg colour, definitely look red.
Cant find anything that suggest Australian Tern or as you prefer Gull billed Tern, can have anything other than Black legs.

I have seen only two examples of G. nilotica Gull-billed Terns with slightly reddish legs, and similar bill shape to Imogen's bird (right). The left bird is from New Jersey and the non-breeding bird below from Uganda.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S30272162
https://africanbirdclub.org/afbid/searc ... /623/21338

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