Hi All,
I am reminded to ask coastal Queenslanders to pay particular attention to
flocks of Little Terns at the moment, in search of flagged birds.
We want to know where the threatened population of the Little Tern goes
after it breeds, because, obviously, whatever habitat they use post-breeding
is as important to a species as its breeding ground, and this is all about
habitat protection.
In Caloundra, SEQld, we have had our first sighting of a flagged Little Tern
for the season. Apart from one isolated sighting, there have been no other
indications where these birds go. I feel the birds probably head north up
the Qld coast, but we just don't know.
Little Terns usually have two colour flags on one lower leg, and a coloured
flag over a metal band on the other. It really helps to know the sequence of
colours and on which leg, as this helps to provide a personal history of
individual birds.
Terry (Pacey), it's a good time for you to be looking shorewards! Anyone
able to get to the Noosa and Maroochy estuaries? Even if you can't get the
colour combination, it would help to know if you see a colour marked Little
Tern. And to know its breeding state. (eg yellow beak or black beak?)
A tip: the threatened population is starting to move to non-breeding
plumage, as the northern population acquires breeding plumage. Right now
it's a mixture of partial plumage. Therefore, increasingly over the coming
weeks, flagged LITE will be in the minority non-breeding plumage.
Cheers,
Jill
--
Jill Dening
Sunshine Coast, Qld
26º 51' 152º 56'
Ph (07) 5494 0994
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message
"unsubscribe birding-aus" (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
