Gull-billed Tern, 12 Little Terns, 9 Fairy Terns, Big Sand Island

[Michael Szabo]

Dave Howes reports a Gull-billed Tern, 12 Little Terns, 9 NZ Fairy Terns and 2 Curlew Sandpipers at Big Sand Island today.:
https://ebird.org/atlasnz/checklist/S126676894

[Ian Southey]

The Gull-billed tern pictures are interesting. The black patch over the ears rather than around the eye and the bill shape suggest that it might be and Asian Gull-billed Tern rather than the Australian ones we have been seeing recently - that's subspecies affinis. Don't have the right books to check just now but maybe a first record.

Ian

[Michael Szabo]

Yes, earlier today I sought the opinion of Nikolas Haas (Australian rare birds committee member) who is familiar with both and he has just replied:
"Yes, it's G. nilotica affinis. Reduced mask and upturned bill."
If so (and it is accepted), according to New Zealand Birds Online, this is the first NZ record of affinis:
https://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/gull-billed-tern

[Michael Szabo]

Gull-billed Terns in north-western Australia: subspecies identification, moults and behavioural notes
D. Rogers et al, 2004:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1071/MU04045

[Michael Szabo]

Treated as 2 different species by Birdlife International:

Australian Gull-billed Tern:
http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/62026537

Common Gull-billed Tern:
http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/62026481

[Michael Szabo]

Australian GBT also split from Common GBT by the IOC:
"Accepted split of G. macrotarsa is based on morphological differences (Rogers et al. 2005, HBW, Schodde pers. comm). ENG Australian Gull-billed Tern" (see AS 9.2): https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/upda ... ed-splits/

[ourspot]

Gull-billed Tern was present today from when we got there bang on high tide a 2.15pm until we left at 4ish (was a big 3.9m tide (based on Tinopai). Was seen at the same location as Dave and Aaron saw at the northern tip of Big Sand Island. Was roosting amongst the SIPO and Godwits for first half and then after moved around a bit and then ended up hawking around in the shallow waters between the island and mainland.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S126890308

[Michael Szabo]

Chris Cooke reports the Common GBT was present again today:
https://ebird.org/newzealand/checklist/S126945505

[David Riddell]

We (Chris Cooke, Bill Abbott, Annette Taylor and myself) had good but distant views of the tern shortly before high tide yesterday, after Chris first spotted it at the water's edge between the SIPO and knot flocks. It mostly kept its head down and its tail pointed into the very strong wind, though from time to time it would raise and turn its head so that we could see its bill and head markings. It only got up into the air twice, each time shifting just a few metres.

[Michael Szabo]

Steve Wood and Igor Debski have just reported seeing the Common GBT there again this afternoon.