ALEUTIAN TERN

Photographed at Old Bar, NSW, December 2017

1230                 ALEUTIAN TERN               Onychoprion aleuticus 

AUSTRALIA                  723

Former Latin name was Sterna aleutica. Breeds in colonies on coasts and islands in Alaska and easternmost Siberia; migrates to Indonesia and Malaysia, though little is known about its wintering habits here. Feeds by plunge diving for fish, usually in saltwater environs.

NOTE:  In October 2017, birders Liam Murphy was looking through photographs taken in December 2016. He found an unidentified tern. It was tentatively identified as an Aleutian tern, never before recorded in Australia. He returned to the place where the photographs were taken in December 2017. Liam found a group of 13 Aleutian tern wintering there. (These photographs were taken the next day)

EASTERN GRASS OWL

Only just recording shots, will suffice until I can improve. Taken at Port Macquarie, December 2017

1229                EASTERN GRASS OWL                     Tyto longimembris

AUSTRALIA                   722

Also known as Australian Grass Owl. Found in grasslands coastal heaths, cane fields, agricultural land and swamps feeding on small rodents. Two distinct populations in Australia: one on flood plains of large rivers from Cape York to Manning River (NSW); the other on grasslands on Barkley Tablelands and Channel Country (WA)