Last day of April and a clear blue sky and a very fresh easterly wind as I left home and when I arrived at Normandy Lane I thought maybe I should have headed for the coast as there were some great records of skuas moving. I was here for the terns, Little Tern in particular.
After parking in the lane I headed out past the eight acre pond and then on to Normandy. The wind was very strong and took the edge off the temperature and on the lagoon the birds were using what shelter they could find. On the first pool there were Bar-tailed Godwits in various stages of summer plumage and a few Avocet. As I walked at the bottom path I picked up the only Swift of the day over the lagoon.
There were very good numbers of Common Terns on the islands and every so often they would take to the air and circle around the marsh.
Dunlin, almost all in summer plumage fed a little way from the south path around the marsh.
Redshank were feeding in the ditch below the path and flew up to the post. This one colour ringed.
It flew off and was then joined by another bird, probably a mate, not ringed.
It proceeded to call.
A single Avocet feeding close to the path, at this time of year it probably has a mate sitting on eggs somewhere close by.
As well as the skuas moving today there were good numbers of waders moving too. This almost summer plumaged Grey Plover had probably dropped in some time this morning.
Then the first close view of Little Tern, the bird I had hoped to see today.
The bat like flapping flight as it hovered over the open water with a lovely dark green background.
There were quite a few Little Terns scattered around the islands, good to see this delightful little sea bird thriving well here, lets hope they can have a successful breeding season.
With the sun on my back and being able to shelter from the cold wind on the lower path I stayed pretty much in the same place for the whole visit.
Grey Plover flew through with several showing off their breeding plumage.
Whilst not quite a complete breeding plumage, this Grey Plover looked quite smart feeding close to me on the path.
Another unusual wader here was a pair of Sanderling, again probably a product of the wader movement here today.
One of the Sanderling showing the start of its breeding plumage.
An unwelcome visitor on the lagoon, an adult Great Black-backed Gull and it doesn't look happy.
The reason, Common Terns on the attack.
Then joined by a Black-headed Gull.
Finally it was off, but no doubt this will be a fearsome predator as the eggs start hatching around the reserve.
S
ome more Little Tern action over the lagoon.
I wasn't going far, but there was plenty of photographic opportunities. Overall I took a hell of a lot of images while here so I have split the posts in to parts one and two. The rest of this day will now be a seperate post.
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