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Port Fairy July 3 pelagic report & Tern comments

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Subject: Port Fairy July 3 pelagic report & Tern comments
From: "Rohan Clarke" <>
Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 16:49:54 +1000
Hi All,

Just to advise some additions and corrections to the recent Birds Australia 
Victoria Port Fairy pelagic trip that took place on 3rd July 2005.

Firstly we had four species of prion on the day, not three as originally 
reported. In addition to Antarctic Prion, Fairy Prion and Slender-billed Prion 
we also had at least one Salvin's Prion at the second berley point. At least 
two photographs show one bird that displayed a very wide base to the bill and 
displayed a clear bow along the cutting edge.
Thanks to Frank Pierce for pointing this one out.

Secondly I must apologies to Jim Caine as I omitted him from the participant 
list.

Thirdly the tern reported as an Arctic Tern has generated much interest and two 
weeks later debate is still flowing freely between a number of "ternophiles". 
At the moment some contributors have confidently ruled Common Tern and some 
have confidently ruled out Arctic Tern (but some people in both these camps 
reckon it may be the other species). Nobody has yet said it is definitely not 
an Antarctic Tern, though we are struggling given there is little information 
out there on Antarctic Tern plumages. I intend to post a more detailed summary 
of the debate at a later stage but in the interim thought I should bring this 
very interesting bird to peoples attention (again). What makes it all the more 
interesting is we have a series of excellent photographs of the bird taken by 
at least 4 different people and after two weeks discussion the identification 
is far from resolved! The discussion has been extremely informative and 
positive to date and I look forward to it continuing.


If interested, an image of the bird is still posted under the label of Arctic 
Tern on ABID.
http://www.aviceda.org/abid/birdimages.php?action=birdimage&bid=540&fid=41&p=2&pagesize=1

Regards
Rohan

___________________________________
Dr Rohan Clarke
Zoologist
mobile: 0429 792 906


Biosis Research Pty. Ltd.
Natural and Cultural Heritage Consultants
38 Bertie Street (PO Box 489)
Port Melbourne, Vic  3207
ph: (03) 9646 9499
fax: (03) 9646 9242
___________________________________


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