Hi Peter,
Yes there are Little Terns at Sydney Airport. We saw several at the
rehabilitated Penryn Bay near the birdhide on the 1st December on an outing
with Cumberland Bird Observers. One was nesting, one flying around the bay
and one was dive bombing a Masked Lapwing so may have also had a nearby
nest. Also present were Great Knots, a Red-capped Plover with chick, A pair
of Pied Oystercatchers with a juvenile and an Osprey gathering sticks.
From Jenny Stiles
-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Ewin
Sent: Saturday, December 14, 2013 7:09 PM
To: ? birding-aus
Subject: Little Tern at Sydney Airport?
Evening all
On Thursday when travelling for work to and from Sydney (just what I need
before I move from Mildura to Albury this weekend) I saw a bird at Sydney
Airport that I am wondering if anyone can confirm. The sighting was made
through the window of a plane at about 4:30PM at the southern end of the
third(?) runway (the one closest to the horror show that once was Penrhyn
Bay). A white bird, almost certainly a tern was observed out the window - it
was very difficult to determine distance (and hence size) but my suspicion
was that it was a Little Tern. It seemed to be landing on the grass at the
end of the runway (that seemed very odd behaviour) which is the basis of the
size for the identification (if it was over the water it potentially could
have been a Crested).
I know before the airport was expanded there was a breeding colony of Little
Terns in the vicinity of the third runway, but I am wondering if this still
occurs (or whether they are actually breeding on the grassy area beyond the
tarmac). I am also aware that there is some sort of monitoring on the
airport (recent discussion on BitrdLine of Oriental Plovers in areas not
accessible to the public). So I am wondering whether anyone can confirm if
there are the odd Little Tern still around the airport as it will save me
chasing this species up for my annual list when I am on the North Coast
around Christmas.
Cheers,
Peter
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