On Monday two juvenile black terns turned up at the flash. Obviously not the same bird as I found on Sunday because that was a moulting adult as can be seen in the black marks on the belly in the photos from Sunday. This morning was my first opportunity to have a good look at these juveniles, but as is usual with the species at the flash they were always distant, sticking to the middle of the flash.
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| Hobby with prey, probably a dragonfly. |
Other birds this morning included great white egret, ruff (16th day), two swift, 50 swallows and 10 sand martins. The hirundines were being hunted by a juvenile hobby over the ruck and it seemed to catch one because following a break neck chase it glided around for a bit and appeared to be feeding. Later it flew over Horrock's and appeared to have a dragonfly.
How many more? My latest ever date for swift is 19th September at Flamborough Head (2015) and Eccleston Mere (2006). My latest ever at the flash is 13th September. Beating the 13th is feasible but I doubt I'll beat the 19th. In the early hours of the 20th we travel to Barra for three weeks and swifts are not particularly common in summer there!
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