Just a quick one to say the Arctic Tern was still around today, I watched it feeding off the seafront late this afternoon with Black-headed Gulls. So 11th Nov becomes my latest date for a UK Arctic Tern!
I also noted my first Fieldfare of the autumn this morning, not far from my house - nice to hear that 'chack' again! Weeks later than I usually get my first though.
Other news from the patch today include three Black Redstarts (one adult male) between West Walk and Seaton Hole.
Although we've had wet and windy weather for most of the last week, last night the south coast got a real battering so I was keen to spend time on the sea front this morning. It was clear to see it had been a lively night...
Looking east from Spot On Kiosk
I wasn't expecting to see many birds passing, and I was right; just two Kittiwake and a Gannet flew by in the 45 minutes I was watching. I was hoping more for a storm-blown Little Gull or such-like, and was encouraged by the 300+ Black-headed Gulls feeding at various points off the beach. Sadly there was no Little Gull, but a cracking juv Arctic Tern more than made up for that! It remained on view the whole time I was there, feeding close in between Fisherman's Gap and the mouth of the Axe. It even came close enough to allow for some reasonable shots...
Black-headed Gull above the Arctic Tern
Arctic Tern showing off the white-trailing edge to its secondaries, this would be darker grey if it were a young Common Tern
Arctic Tern showing nice short all-dark bill and again those lovely pure white trailing edges to the secondaries
I took this when it was much further down the beach, but I wanted to show how juv Arctic Terns can look almost Sabine's-like at times - they have such contrasty wings quite unlike young Common Terns.
Later in the day, early afternoon, I was delighted to see the Arctic Tern again, but this time on the Estuary! Only the third Arctic Tern I've ever seen on the Estuary - I've seen more Black Terns here!
Arctic Tern roosting with gulls
Arctic Tern resting on the water, lovely cute head and small bill obvious here
Arctic Tern flying down the Axe - perfect wing pattern on show here
Again, but this one is a video still. Best pic showing overall shape in flight
The wind was still quite strong early afternoon, and when it is so windy I find using 'flight-style' pretty useless when ID'ing terns, but here's a video anyway. Sorry it's so shaky...
I do apologise for the overload of photos of one tern, but we never do that well for any terns here really and Arctic Terns are scarce - you could easily go a year without seeing one. So I just had to make the most of a lingering and fairly showy one, in my favourite plumage too!. I'm pretty sure this is my latest ever Arctic Tern, but I have seen a later Common Tern here (which is unusual), with an adult on the Estuary on 13th Nov 2014 found by Tim Wright. One day I will use these pics to do an ID post for juv Arctic vs Common - I just need to get some pics of a young Common Tern now!
I had another look along the estuary later in the afternoon, when it was nice to get some good views of six Cattle Egret in the field just south west of Boshill Cross...
4 of the 6 Cattle Egrets
Looking where this Cattle Egret is stood I do wonder how often Cattle Egrets get pooped on!?
There weren't many gulls on the Estuary, but one of the most distant flocks contained a second-winter Yellow-legged Gull which was rather nice, not a common age here...
Third from right along the back, a nice long-winged bird
Yellow-legged Gull again with wings up showing tail pattern
Four species of gull here allowing good comparisons of mantle colours and size
I jumped into action the other day, when Phil made a surprise discovery of an apparent Little Stint on Black Hole Marsh. He didn't have his telescope or camera with him, so considering the late date (31st Oct) I just had to check it out.....
Phil's impressions were dead right, it was a Little Stint. The only one we've had this year so it was well worth the effort, although aiming my camera at it probably wasn't as the light was dreadful...
Little Stint
A lone Lesser Redpoll flew over Black Hole during my short visit there, and as well as the stint, on Black Hole there was a male Shoveler and a Greenshank.
This evening I dashed out after work to try and catch up with a tern sp. that was seen on the Estuary mid afternoon. It was virtually dark when I made it over there so wasn't surprised to miss it, although there was just enough light left to see a redhead Goosander fly down river at about 5pm.
Earlier today it was great to see numerous Redwings and Song Thrushes bombing around my housing estate at dawn, easily the best arrival of thrushes so far this autumn - but hardly surprising given the numbers calling overhead during the previous night.
Good news on the Cetti's Warbler front. The snow of last winter knocked out all our local Cetti's Warblers, well singing males at least, there may have been one or two females still hanging on. In the past it's taken years to get numbers of this species back on the Axe after cold weather wipe-outs, but within the last two weeks alone I've noted two at Lower Bruckland Ponds and two around Black Hole Marsh, then yesterday morning the Axe Estuary Ringing Group ringed four around Stafford Marsh (see HERE). Excellent news indeed.
A Cetti's Warbler struggling in the snow and ice - taken on 2nd March this year
