Confusion on this tern at Tichfield hants today due to length of streamers and leg length ,think Arctic but would like help (1 Viewer)

[b bosman]

 

[Gander]

I think the length of legs excludes Arctic, and would therefore lean to Common. Beak also looks long for Arctic, but streamers look long for Common.

 

[b bosman]

Thanks Gander the length of the tail streamers at least an inch past wings made us doubt common but happy to learn cheers

 

[amears]

Thanks Gander the length of the tail streamers at least an inch past wings made us doubt common but happy to learn cheers

So adult winter Roseate perhaps

 

[b bosman]

So adult winter Roseate perhaps

Hi Amears that was my first thought when we first saw it but the bird was not as pale as you would expect roseate to be
The tail streamers were very long though
I am now thinking common with very long tail cheers

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,

do you have more pictures? I agree with you and Gander, its an extremly hard bird for me, too.
Can an Arctic Tern really excluded here? I was reminded at this thread: Tern at East Chevington and the helpful comments from Killian Mullarney and others (and I hope that Deb and Nutty post here on BF again)

I cant loose the feeling, that the bill is too long for an Arctic Tern.
And I had the same thoughts as Amears: is a Roseate Tern a contender here? But I think, the dark legs and the extensive blackish underside of the primaries are not good for this, according to literature.

Conclusion? if forced I would opt for an Arctic Tern with an extremly long bill. But with a bad/unsure feeling. I hope for others to jump in! Thanks!

 

[Gander]

Hello,

do you have more pictures? I agree with you and Gander, its an extremly hard bird for me, too.
Can an Arctic Tern really excluded here? I was reminded at this thread: Tern at East Chevington and the helpful comments from Killian Mullarney and others (and I hope that Deb and Nutty post here on BF again)

A lot of interesting discussion and links in that East Chevington thread.

Roseate are easy in my area. They are pretty much all ringed! In this case I'm thinking subject appears too dark.

Looking at the bird again, I'm still leaning towards Common. Based on what I have read in the East Chevington thread, if this was an Arctic, the black from the side of the hood would appear more to engulf the eye, and there would be more of a masked look with more black below the eye than our bird shows. Added to the long beak and legs, it keeps me thinking Common, although with maybe slight doubt over those long streamers.

More photos would be good.

 

[Kevriano]

I think this is a common tern in what is sometimes called "portlandica" plumage. Not often seen as it's a first year plumage and they usually return to their breeding range until year 2. I could be totally wrong, but there was a bird like it recently at Terney Pool, Sussex. Here's a photo of the one there.

 

[b bosman]

Hi everybody
Chris Batty has now seen the photo and believes it is a First Summer common
He explained that first summer common often have long streamers and fs Arctic smaller so a reverse of adults although this is not shown in the literature
Many thanks for taking time to answer

 

[Butty]

I think this is a common tern in what is sometimes called "portlandica" plumage. Not often seen as it's a first year plumage and they usually return to their breeding range until year 2.

The term 'portlandica' goes way back to a time before plumage progression in common tern was correctly understood - and it eventually turned out that it was simply the normal plumage worn by 1-year-old birds (thus, it's not 'a' 1st-year plumage but the 1st-year plumage). Because it's merely synonymous with a plumage which has a perfectly good name in conventional terminology it is rarely employed these days - and I would recommend that it's never used as it's liable only to be confusing for other readers.

 

[Kevriano]

The term 'portlandica' goes way back to a time before plumage progression in common tern was correctly understood - and it eventually turned out that it was simply the normal plumage worn by 1-year-old birds (thus, it's not 'a' 1st-year plumage but the 1st-year plumage). Because it's merely synonymous with a plumage which has a perfectly good name in conventional terminology it is rarely employed these days - and I would recommend that it's never used as it's liable only to be confusing for other readers.

Ok cheers, not something I was aware of, this is information that was passed on to me. However, the ID is right, if not the term used.

 

[vectraman1]

View attachment 1460471

View attachment 1460471

Some Common Terns begin their moult in July and then their bill turns all black and the head pattern starts to fade, so this could well be what it is