Black Tern, Waikanae Estuary + Plimmerton fire station/rocks

[Michael Szabo]

Roger Brent Smith has posted to Facebook this photo of a Common Tern he saw today with the White-fronted Tern flock at the rocky point behind Plimmerton fire station.

[Kate B]

Lovely afternoon today at Plimmerton with a crowd of up to 10 keen birders, including folks from Rotorua and Gisborne. The black tern showed well off and on throughout the afternoon, keeping us on our toes in the strong nor'wester. We ended up exchanging numbers and splitting observers between the fire station point and the rocky platform ~400m to the north. The black tern was seen at both locations by multiple observers. A common tern was also seen at the fire station end.

Excuse my crummy scope shot but it does help give a sense of size!

[Finn Davey]

Made the trip up to Plimmerton today
Good group of birders also there to try and catch a glimpse of the Black Tern.

The White-fronted Terns were split into two flocks.
One behind the fire station and the others slightly further down.

A few of us swapped phone numbers so we could contact one another on either side, meaning that an eye was kept on both flocks.
Apparently the Black Tern was seen by others 10 min before the rest of us got there, so we were all waiting for it to return.
The Common Tern also made an appearance behind the fire station which as a nice bonus. Another lifer for me!

A couple hours later, most of the team was at the fire station side while I was keeping an eye on the second flock. When suddenly all of the Terns leapt into the air in a huge panicked flurry. I had a look up and a Harrier was flying overhead, which is what must have spooked them.
The terns started to circle back and come down the land and I saw a smaller and darker coloured bird. THE BLACK TERN!
It must have come in without us noticing and hidden itself far back in the crowd. But just as it touched down the flock got spooked again and all of the birds left and headed to the fire station to land.

I went to message to others that it was on it's way but they were already on the case and had messaged me that it had just landed with the other terns that got spooked.
I ran over to join the others and we all got to see the special bird.

[Finn Davey]

And the bonus Common Tern

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[Finn Davey]

Does anyone have any idea on what subspecies the Black Tern would be?

From Clements Checklist:
Chlidonias niger niger (Eurasian): W Palearctic; winters in Africa
Chlidonias niger surinamensis (American): N North America; winters Central America and n S America

I would think to to be the nominate Eurasian subspecies, with the Common Tern having similar native locations.
I've also read around that it's thought the Tern could have come from around China which does line up with the Palearctic region

[phil hammond]

Both have the black shoulder tab but surinamensis should also have some grey along the flanks under the wing which this doesn't, so yes I think the consensus is that it's the nominate.
Phil Hammond
Wrybill Birding Tours NZ

[Oscar Thomas]

Yeah the consensus is Eurasian Black tern (despite the fact Australia’s last record was American), due to the well-documented pale underwings/flanks, relatively small shoulder tabs, and solid black head marking.

[Michael Szabo]

John Kyngdon reports: "Black tern just flown in 400 m north of fire station 1pm. Common tern present at fire station 10.30am."

[CMKMStephens]

from the 1st

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[CMKMStephens]

also had a Black-fronted tern?

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