Monday 10 September 2012

Black Tern


On 2nd & 3rd Sept I tried a spot of early(ish) morning seawatching from the Lifeboat Station on Exmouth front. This was my last ditch effort to find something new before heading North for another boating trip. I didn't succeeed, but I did enjoy watching two pale & a dark morph Arctic Skua doing some synchronised tern chasing in the bay on the 2nd, and one pale morph on the 3rd.

When I got home there were 2 moths on the garage, a green & a white Marbled Green. At least that was a new moth to tick.

Marbled Green
Back at the boat, I ventured off for a day's birding while Simon stayed with Muriel as she had solar panels fitted. I started off at Eyebrook Reservoir, but as that was a bit quiet, I headed off to Rutland Water. It was lunchtime by the time I arrived so I decided to stick to the free North Arm rather than pay the £5 odd to get into the actual reserve. The North Arm was full of Tufted Ducks with a few Crested Grebes thrown in, and lots of Egyptian Geese milling about on the bank. There had been Black-necked Grebes & a Little Gull reported there in the previous few days, but despite spending most of the afternoon there, I didn't find them. I tried to view the Southern Arm from the road as suggested in the 'Where to Watch Birds' guide, but unfortunately there is no longer access by road & it was a bit far to walk. I had a quick look from the one spot I could drive to, then returned to the North Arm, setting myself a limit of 5pm before I headed home.  I was checking out the terns with about 5 mins to go when I saw a smaller & darker tern than the Common Terns that I'd been seeing all afternoon. As soon as I spotted it on a post it flew off & I had to wait a while before it finally reappeared. It turned out to be my first Black Tern of the year. That made my day!.

Eyebrook Reservoir from the North end
The North Arm of Rutland Water, full of Tufties.
Egyptain Geese

A distant Black Tern on the post by the notice, a bigger & paler Common Tern on the post to the left.
Year List: 202 + 2 sub-species

5 comments:

  1. This is really a nice place. I wish I could come in here.

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  2. Hello, I am afraid that moth is a Marbled Green. Merville du Jour is an autumnal moth and is on the wing right now. Regards, Andrew.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Andrew
    Thanks for that. I'm always happy to be put right! I've never seen a Marbled Green before either!
    Sue

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