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Terns - Great Barrier Reef October 2016 (1 Viewer)

vernon

Well-known member
Last week I photographed Terns from the Marine World platform on the outer reef. I am unclear how many species I found - somewhere from 4 to 7. Certain were Common Noddy, Bridled Tern and Greater Crested Tern but I was unclear if a few of the Terns were faded Sooty Terns. In addition there is a Tern in flight showing very pale upperparts [?over-exposure] and 2 perched Terns [?Black-naped and Roseate or 2 of either perhaps]. I would value any expert opinions.

Firstly the rear Tern in the first 2 shots
Secondly the Tern in the front of shots 3 and 4
 

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Lastly 2 Terns perched
 

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Here are 3 more photos where I wondered if some individuals were actually Sooty rather than Bridled Terns

the first shows an apparently larger bird at the back
the second 3 birds at the front with darker mantles [?trick of the light]
and the third with a bird at the front whose forehead pattern does not seem to be an obvious Bridled Tern
 

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I'm no expert but I'll have go. No Sooty Terns in any photos. All the Terns in post #3 appear to be Little Terns.
I don't know what the bird in flight in post #2 is, possibly just a Crested Tern.
 
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