Whiskered Tern
An email arrived asking for some identification help, always fun. Opening the attached pictures we were surprised to see a juvenile Whiskered Tern! This major rarity had been photographed at Inner Marsh Farm RSPB reserve on the Cheshire/Flintshire border only some fifty miles away. The bird had caused a heated debate at the reserve with opinion divided as to the identity of this marsh tern. We were sure it was a Whiskered having been lucky enough to have seen many in the past and studied them carefully. A long round of phone calls and emails followed as the debate intensified with some convinced it was Black Tern others it was White-winged Black and us and Marc Hughes sure it was Whiskered! Eventually we convinced just about everyone it was a Whiskered and birders began to arrive at see the bird. Thankfully all now agreed it was in fact a juvenile Whiskered Tern.
The following morning heavy rain bounced off the roofs in Llandudno, not weather to entice you out birding. But we were meeting our friend Mike Duckham and Julie, an American birder over here for a guided trip, so out we went. Where better to meet than Inner Marsh Farm RSPB? We arrived a little early so walked down to the hide and were soon watching the juvenile Whiskered Tern dancing over the lagoons picking insects from the surface with grace. Despite the rain we enjoyed wonderful views, the tern even landing in front of the hide. But where were Mike and Julie?
Suddenly the roosting Lapwings, gulls and the tern were up in alarm and swirling over the water in panic! A raptor had presumably shot through unseen by us? The tern broke away from the flock and flew over the border pool, which is in Flintshire, and away towards the Dee Estuary, oh no!
Just then Mike and Julie entered the hide, very bad timing. We waited a while watching a Ruff and masses of Teal but no tern. It was time for lunch so after a look over wind swept Burton Marsh we headed to nearby Parkgate for a slap up Sunday dinner, just the job on a wet day.
As we ate Alan’s mobile rang and the news was good the tern was back at Inner Marsh Farm. Puddings were scoffed down and back we went.
Bad timing, the tern had been back, but had now gone again! So we waited, and waited, two Black Terns came in and gave nice views but not the same as a very rare Whiskered.
Then suddenly it was there again buoyantly skipping over the water right in front of the hide, huge smiles all round, what a cracking bird. The Whiskered Tern even landed on the island allowing Julie time to digi-scope it nicely. A great bird.
If you would like to join us for great birding drop us a line info@thebiggesttwitch.com