The Lincolnshire Bird Club

17:18 20/08/08 White-winged Black Tern Lincs Covenham Reservoir 16:10

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

This bird was reported as a juvenile, presumably with the very dark back ('saddle'), (not the "flashy" adult) plus at least one Black Tern.

Regards,

Freddy

The juvenile White-winged Black Tern was present into the early evening before departing high NE with Black Terns heading in the direction of Horseshoe Point.

Also present:

2 Black-necked Grebe (SE corner)
2 Common Sandpiper
16 Black Tern (all departed by last light)
20 Common Tern
7+ Yellow Wagtail

regards

Chris

According to news services, the juv White-winged Black Tern is still present this morning.

The juv White-winged Black Tern was seen spiralling high with Black Terns and heading NE last night with the large numbers of gulls that go on to roost at Horseshoe Point/North Cotes Point - 4 Black Terns remained but then not long after these were seen to do the same. It was virtually last light when we left and no Black Terns were present -I can only presume they arrived back when dark.

regards

Chris

it was still there with a dozen or so black terns when i left at 1540 hrs this afternoon, cheers
Paul

I would assume that they roosted on the coast with other terns and returned in the morning; a juvenile Black Tern which spent 2 weeks on the same pit at Barton a couple of years back in September went off every night with Black-headed Gulls to roost on Read's Island but returned the following morning; the Black (16) and WWBTern were very active on 21st frequently flocking together and going up high over the Res during showery weather but then coming back down and feeding with some resting on the buoys; the juv WWBT is a very striking bird but with a vestigial dark shoulder mark when perched ---

Thanks for the info Graham - it did cross my mind the WWBT might have roosted on the coast knowing that the gulls commute through the res on their way to & from their coastal roost at Horseshoe, but wasn't sure that this had been confirmed happening with marsh terns before. I was also conscious that terns do move during darkness having been woken by Sandwich Terns calling over my house in the early hours a few years back!

Chris

No sign of the White-winged Black Tern this morning.
4 Black Terns
2 Dunlin
1 Common sand
No sign of BN Grebs
Cheers Alan.

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Still Chasing Rainbows