I would appreciate if any tern experts in the Brisbane area could check out
a tern at Minnipi wetlands. This bird was first spotted by my husband and I
at 1130 24/10/1999. We viewed it flying and at rest with bins and a scope.
We were using Pizzey and Knight's Field Guide. We then returned home and
referred to Hanzab and the usual other field guides. At 2pm we went back
with Sheryl and Arthur Keats. The bird was very obliging, flying at low
levels in front of us and was also viewed at rest in good light via scopes.
This bird is probably a Whiskered Tern in transitional plumage. However,
more than a few field marks do not entirely add up to the extent that we
think this bird may be worth looking at, especially as we are all familiar
with the Whiskered Tern and had to talk ourselves into it being that bird.
We agreed on the following:
Small pale tern approx 27 ? 30 cms, squarish tail with no noticable fork and
no streamers, uniformly pale grey above (including back, rump and tail,
although outer tail feathers appeared white) apart from a darker shoulder
bar. At rest this shoulder bar is reminiscent of the Common Tern, but not
as pronounced. At rest, wings extended slightly beyond tail. Under wing
pattern ? mainly white, with thin dark grey smudged leading and trailing
edges to the primaries. In addition, the leading edge of the underwing was
pale grey, contrasting with the white of the rest of the wing. All other
underparts uniformly white. Legs darkish red. Bill black, long and fine
with no hint of red at the base of either mandible. The head is smallish
and mainly white (reminiscent of the amount of white on a Black-naped Tern).
Close views reveal black streaking toward the back of the crown that
consolidates to a streaked black nape extending almost down to the mantle.
The lores are white and a thin black band extends from the eye, slightly
dipping down very briefly to the top of the ear coverts, before continuing
around to the nape.
The head pattern, the bill length and shape, and the underwing pattern were
the main field marks that still have us questioning whether this is a
Whiskered Tern.
The bird did not call on the wing, one call uttered on the ground was
unfamiliar to us all.
It can be found on the lake in Minnippi Parklands. The easiest access is
off Stanton Road West via Wynnum Road (UBD 162B14). The lake is at the end
of this road. There is a largish island in the middle of the lake. The
bird rests on the islands and spits of land about 50 meters to the left of
this island. We would be happy for any thoughts on this bird.
Good Birding
Judith Hoyle and Gavin
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