I am quite convinced on the hybrid. Fairy Tern reaches the north eastern parts of breeding range around Turross Estuary with the odd bird turning up at Lake Wollumbulla and hybridization is regular as there are few Fairies around. The facial pattern does indeed look good for Fairy, but the amount of a black on the beak (Australian Fairies shouldn't show any in breeding plumage, and even in non breeding condition it is too extensive and clear cut imo) as well as the grey tones on the wings point towards Little influence.
Incidentally I was at the only successful Sternulla Tern colony on the south coast this year a few days back where there were five pure Fairies and one of them was courting with a Little Tern.
As for Whiskered Terns,I too am guessing he is referring to the non breeding Littles? The Chilidonias Terns in your images are definitely White-winged.
D.
From:
To:
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] White-rumped Sandpiper [SEC=UNOFFICIAL]
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 23:03:39 +0000
Hi Dimitris
Thanks for the comments.
Re the hybrid – how certain are you of that diagnosis?
I must admit I was not 100% convinced of its fairiness, but on balance, particularly based on the lack of black through the lores to the bill, the lack of angular
white reaching beyond the eye, and the slightly deeper orange of the bill and legs (but not as dark as I’d seen on Fairys previously) I decided to include it as a Fairy Tern. Chris Brandis came back to me as well but he talked about Whiskered Terns and all
I can think is he thought I was referring to the Little tern in the background of that photo. Still to hear back from him.
Will be interesting to see what others might come back with.
Cheers,
Harvey
Dr Harvey Perkins
CRC Programme Liaison Officer
Phone +61 2 6213 7472
Email:
From: Dimitris Bertzeletos [
Sent: Tuesday, 20 January 2015 9:56 AM
To: canberra birds
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] White-rumped Sandpiper
Lovely Report Harvey,
That Fairy Tern, however, is a Fairy x Little cross.
Hybrid indicators are the (very) extensively black tipped beak and dark primaries and greyish wing feathers (pure white on Fairy Tern).
All the best,
D.
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 21:23:17 +1100
From:
To: ;
Subject: White-rumped Sandpiper
Last Tuesday I and some friends from Canberra went o twitch the White-rumped Sandpiper that has been at Lake Wollumboola for a couple of weeks now. I've just put up a post on my blog about
our very successful day. HarPer's Bizarre - a naturalist's miscellany, at
http://hdpphd.blogspot.com.au/
If you haven't yet been to see it - go!
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