Tern, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (1 Viewer)

[Tib78]

Hi all,

A Tern seen this year in Tanzania. The photos aren't great, the difference of contrast is due to the constantly changing lighting conditions. Pictures taken in late June.

I must admit I have been thinking repressa because of the grey rump but some Common may show a greyish rump, and bill structure is perhaps more Common-like.

Are there any plumage characteristics allowing a positive ID that I am not aware of (I still have to get my copy of Olsen & Larsson's "Terns"...shame on me...)?

Thanks in advance

 

[Tib78]

A few more pics.

 

[phil baber]

From the heavy darkness of the "carpal bar" I'm thinking Common, as opposed to White-Cheeked IMHO. Though am not familiar with Tanzanian Terns!

 

[Tib78]

My opinion is that it's a Common Tern, too. For example the primaries pattern looks quite typical, but I don't know what a WCT of this age is supposed to look like. I have only seen White-cheeked Terns in adult and (very young) juvenile plumages.

Since WCT does occur along the East African Coast (I have already seen an adult in Dar es Salaam), I am seeking infos about its identification.

Is the very dark carpal a consistent and reliable feature to separate CT from WCT at this age?

Has anyone access to the ID article "Field identification of White-cheeked Tern" by Shirihai and Olsen: http://www.eurobirding.com/birdingmagazines/artinfo.php?id=2567 ?