MEGA - multiple Gull-billed Terns at Manawatu Estuary

[sav]

It looks as if the GBTerns have left Foxton Beach. Tim Barnard finally made it down here on Thursday and failed to find them despite several hours of searching. No news either way from yesterday, but they were not showing over the low tide today, so I guess that's that!

Re Neil's question about sub-species. The birds in Europe are the nominate sub-species, and so different again. There are no known records of affinis (the Asian ssp) in New Zealand, and they are pretty unusual in Australia too.

[Clinton9]

Hi Sav,
I think they got fed up with cold temperture and they decided to migrate over west coasts, northward...they might stop on maybe Kawhia or Auckland, on other mudflats, they are unlikely to migrate back to Australia, as they had remembered their difficulties in finding insects on Australia and they know Foxton Beach is a rich feeding area, enrichen with crabs. It is June and not the month for them to migrate to Australia.

But they might be just touring the beach up to 30 k/m, as they looking for other rich feeding areas or future nesting sites. They will return back to Foxton Beach if they don't find nesting & rich feeding areas.

They may be been sent by other gull-billed terns in Australia or Asia, to fly to tour NZ and to see if NZ is suitable country for wintering and maybe breeding / new home. If all 4 terns stay in NZ and breed here, the other terns in Asia / Australia will know NZ is suitable country, but if terns migrate to Asia or Australia, the other terns will think "NZ is too cold" or not suitable country.
If they are Australian race, they will breed here in springtime, as they know about white-faced herons and had seen them on beaches. Look at white-faced herons and spur-winged plovers and welcome swallows.

Clinton.

[igor]

1 non-breeding plumage GBT present right now

[Clinton9]

This means GBT are not going to migrate to Australia or Asia, also this one nonbreeding-plumage GBT may be an immature bird.
Beware the three other GBT might return back to join the one GBT, after the adult birds had found the future breeding site or other feeding areas.
These birds had not forgetten about lot of crabs to eat.
GBT breed near water, or on island in a lake, with other terns.
Caspian tern colonies are likely breeding sites for GBT to rear their chicks.

Clinton.

1 non-breeding plumage GBT present right now

[igor]

For the benefit of any others still wanting to go look - the bird I saw today put in only a very brief appearance. I had been at the estuary for almost two hours as a very high tide slowly ebbed out, and there were definitely no GBTs using the main estuary then. Just as I was driving off I caught a glimpse of a bird hawking over the bay enclosed by the spit. I stopped and watched the bird for about a minute until it disappeared off over the estuary. I was not able to relocate it. By that stage there was quite a lot of mud exposed but the bird did not hang around to feed as the others had been doing previously.

[philbattley]

When I saw them they were quite visible on the rising tide when there was lots of mud exposed, but virtually absent over high water. I guess the moral is to turn up 6 hours early for a high tide bit of birding... And then stay until 6 hours after high!

Phil

[Tim Barnard]

Phil Hammond and I had a look around yesterday mid to late afternoon but no sign ... are there any other likely sites nearby where they maybe holding-up??

[Neil Fitzgerald]

One bird straight out from Dawick St at present, feeding along incomming tide line.

[GrahamB]

Hi,

A Gull-billed Tern at Foxton today [non-breeding plumage]. About 12.30 it was on the mudflats off the point at seaward end of the Esplanade - only about 150m out. After abut 1/2 hour it started hawking over the nearby mudflats. At about 13.15 it flew purposefully up the estuary and out of sight around past the Boat Club (I was now at the FH viewing platform). Had brief views at about 13.45 when it was well over the Juncus marsh opposite the BC, being chivied by Spur-winged Plovers. Lovely bird - the last one I saw was at Drift Reservoir, Penzance, Cornwall.

Cheers,

GrahamB

[sav]

Paul Gibson reported 2 GBTs at Foxton yesterday, and one was present today around midday. It was on the sandspit, then flew right up the river until it was lost to sight.

2 Glossy Ibis also present with Spoonbills, opposite the boat club.

cheers