Tern Colony

[PeterD]

Some years ago, the wildlife trust built a couple of islands in a deep water saline lagoon. This was the former Oyster beds on the North Western shoreline of Hayling Island. It has proved to be very successful and they are used by Common Tern, Little Tern and Black-headed Gulls as nesting sites.
Here are a few photos.

http://peterd-2009.smugmug.com/photos/580265403_MnSZd-L.jpg

Common Tern returning to the nest site.

http://peterd-2009.smugmug.com/photos/578355782_tWWCU-L.jpg

Common Tern fishing

http://peterd-2009.smugmug.com/photos/580259318_fmz58-L.jpg

Black-headed Gull full of self admiration.

http://peterd-2009.smugmug.com/photos/580564484_FFnYk-L.jpg

"And where do you think you are going?"

Peter

[Joe stockwell]

I might be wrong but I thaught it was only roseate terns that had two leg rings?

http://peterd-2009.smugmug.com/photos/580265403_MnSZd-L.jpg

[PeterD]

Hi Joe,
Thanks for your reply. I do not know about leg rings nor their significance. I have looked up the Roseate Tern and they do look similar but had discounted it for a number of reasons. 1. Rarety, 2. the base of the bill only is red during the breeding season and 3. it's hard to discern a light rosy flush on the chest.
Taking point 2 though, I have compared this bird with others I photographed this session and find the Proportion of red/black on the bills to be very variable. In other words, I am now having difficulty in understanding whether I had correctly identified the Tern or not. Please let me know what you think.
Peter

[Colin Key]

I have never found bill colouration very reliable in separating Common from Roseate Tern - there is too much variation and overlap for it to be decisive.

Peter's bird is a Common to my eye based on short tail streamers, dark upper plumage (apparent in shot 2) and breast not as white as I would expect in Roseate (again, the "pink flush" quoted in field-guides is very variable).

But, shots of white birds in bright sunlight can be very confusing.

Colin

[PeterD]

Thank you for your reply Colin. I have to admit, until Joe's comments I had not really thought that it could be a Roseate Tern and did not look as closely as I should have:err:. Still I have learnt something else to keep in mind:smile:.

What is the ringing policy. Are two rings significant? Joe seems to think so.

Peter

[Joe stockwell]

i knew the bird was common, just thaught that it was only roseate with two rings so still dont have an answer to my querey:err:

[pim wolf]

i knew the bird was common, just thaught that it was only roseate with two rings so still dont have an answer to my querey:err:

Joe, most Roseate's get two rings, as you probably know one standard BTO ring and one with a shorter code (but still unique) that can be easier read by telescope.

Some ringed Common Terns from Norway and The Netherlands have been given a second metal ring when they were caught in Namibia. I guess that these second rings serve as a way to attract ring-readers attention on the individual. This certainly works, and as a result I have read a few of these Safring rings.

regards, pim wolf

[PeterD]

Joe, most Roseate's get two rings, as you probably know one standard BTO ring and one with a shorter code (but still unique) that can be easier read by telescope.

Some ringed Common Terns from Norway and The Netherlands have been given a second metal ring when they were caught in Namibia. I guess that these second rings serve as a way to attract ring-readers attention on the individual. This certainly works, and as a result I have read a few of these Safring rings.

regards, pim wolf

Thanks for that. So, the two rings only signify that they have been caught over-wintering in Namibia.
Peter

[MichaelF]

I thaught it was only roseate terns that had two leg rings?
Some Roseate Terns don't have any rings at all! :smile:

PS "thought" :ohdear: