Common terns Kapiti Coast

[igor]

The common terns are still about and I saw four today. One (immature) at Plimmerton and three at Waikanae (another immature but with more pronounced carpel bar and two adults in differing stages of starting to develop breeding plumage). Record shots of the three Waikanae birds below. Little tern and a couple of black-fronted also present.

[Michael Szabo]

Nice finds and good to see that 2 of them look to be coming into breeding plumage.

The bird in your second photos looks to have a reddish bill - if so, could it be the nominate subspecies hirundo?

[Alan Tennyson]

1 immature common tern at Waikanae today - probably a bird that Igor saw there yesterday (it looked like the one in the 3rd photo).

[georgie]

Imm common tern seen again today at Waikanae spit, record shots included. Little tern also present.