Black-fronted Terns, Island Bay

Michael Szabo · Post by **Michael Szabo** » Mon Mar 14, 2022 12:46 pm

During a walk around Island Bay this morning I counted 9 Black-fronted Terns with a flock of circa 500 White-fronted Terns on rocks near the Marine Education Centre. There was also a dark morph Arctic Skua chasing terns offshore plus a Caspian Tern and a Reef Heron flew past.

Michael Szabo · Post by **Michael Szabo** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 11:20 am

A flock of c.600 White-fronted Terns is currently on the rocks along Te Raekaihau Pt on the south Wellington coast, with a few terns coming and going all the time to feed a few hundred metres offshore.

Michael Szabo · Post by **Michael Szabo** » Thu Mar 17, 2022 12:20 pm

Counted 22 Black-fronted Terns between 11am-12 noon today in/near Island Bay. There were 4 with a flock of c800 White-fronted Terns at Te Raekaihau Pt at 11.15am. Then in Island Bay between 11.30 and 12 noon I counted 3 flying across the bay and 15 among a flock of c250 White-fronted Terns at Mermaid Rocks by the western entrance to Island Bay.

Michael Szabo · Post by **Michael Szabo** » Fri Mar 18, 2022 3:08 pm

I counted 14 Black-fronted Terns/Tarapirohe with a flock of about 800 White-fronted Terns/Tara at the base of Te Raekaihau Pt on the south Wellington coast this morning from 9.30-10.30am.

Michael Szabo · Post by **Michael Szabo** » Sat Mar 19, 2022 2:38 pm

More photos posted here with my eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/atlasnz/checklist/S105101617

Michael Szabo · Post by **Michael Szabo** » Wed Mar 23, 2022 11:42 am

Two Black-fronted Terns seen in flight over a flock of c.200 White-fronted Terns on the outer rocks off Taputeranga Island in Island Bay at 10.30am today.

Also c.100 White-fronted Terns in a flock at Te Raekaihau Pt this morning seen from a distance so not sure if there are any Black-fronted Terns among them.

Michael Szabo · Post by **Michael Szabo** » Sat Mar 26, 2022 1:13 pm

Over 1,000 White-fronted Terns on the Mermaid Rocks at the western entrance to Island Bay at the moment with one Common Tern and many Black-fronted Terns, present from early this morning. I had a high count of 15 BFTs at one point with Joe Dillon and a cumulative count of 65 BFTs between 8.30am and 12.30am. Photos to follow.

Michael Szabo · Post by **Michael Szabo** » Mon Mar 28, 2022 3:12 pm

There was a flock of about 600 White-fronted Terns about halfway along Te Raekaihau Point on the south Wellington coast from 11.30am to 12.30pm today. I had a high count of 7 Black-fronted Terns and a cumulative count of 39. Also 2 Arctic Skuas chasing terns offshore.

Michael Szabo · Post by **Michael Szabo** » Sat Apr 23, 2022 10:55 am

There has been a flock of between 200 and 400 White-fronted Terns at Te Raekaihau Pt for two days now, with counts of 4 Black-fronted Terns yesterday morning and 5 this morning.

Michael Szabo · Post by **Michael Szabo** » Sun Apr 24, 2022 1:47 pm

I counted a total of 22 Black-fronted Terns with a flock of about 350 White-fronted Terns at Te Raekaihau Point within the Taputeranga Marine Reserve this morning, with a high count of 7. They were flying in from the west and when departing they flew off to the east.