That was until John visited at lunch time, I swear he has the Midas touch when it comes to birding! He phoned me with news of a Black Tern at the reservoir and by the time I had got there that news changed from one bird to three birds being present. A great number for the reservoir and a great record for the year list. The birds were all adults in moult and were busy feeding away over the water. Occasionally they could be heard calling, either to each other or when chased by one of the gulls. I got some terrible record shots whilst I was there, but it turns out they are very hard to get a good photo of!
John also had a Common Tern initially with the Black Terns, but that must have flown on south. There was a juvenile / first winter gull that from a distance looked good for Yellow-legged Gull but I didn't have a chance to have a closer look before it left. A Common Sandpiper dropped in while John was there and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover dropped in while I was there (that may be the same birds from yesterday). There was also a second Cormorant present.
Evening Update:
John returned this evening to find that FIVE Black Terns were present.
Later Evening Update:
Colin visited but didn't see the Black Terns, so they must have left at some point between John leaving and Colin arriving. There were four Common Sandpipers though and a group of three Common Terns that passed over very high, obviously migrating, making a bee-line for the
southern horizon.
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