Over the last week or so

Sandhaven today- one of the first sights I witnessed once at the base of the pier was a adult Little tern adult being chased by a Common tern over the pier and around Little haven.
Little terns are not a common bird here but we do get the odd few especially at this time of year, but its about being in the right place at the right time(as most wildlife watching is).
Once at the pier viewing point for Sandhaven I scanned the mainly Common tern nursery here today, picked up 2 smaller looking juv. terns in the distance. Sent Jan and Max off to little haven beach so I could have a wander onto Sandhaven( dog ban in force this time of year) to have a closer look. Sure enough 2 juv. Little terns ...my first here this year.


Yesterday Sandhaven and the pier area had the largest numbers of birds here I seen this year so far(bar waders in winter)- hundreds of Terns, B.h.gulls + other gulls, Kittiwakes, Gannets, Guillemots and a couple of Artic Skuas.

Many of the Common terns are still in protective mode with thier young and Max was being mobbed when I took this shot after the 6pm dog ban.....a good way off resting birds.

The Mandarin drake seems to have taken a liking to our Marine park and has chosen the site to change its plumage into the flightless state(at times) of "eclipse" moult. Its been a education watching this bird going into this state of moult change as many of us watchers have never witnessed this before in ST.

This Guillemot was out of the water on the side of the pier a week gone Saturday, plenty of them around our coastline at the moment and the sound of the young calling can be heard on any coastal visit.