Saturday morning SANDWICH TERN

Just after having discussed with David Bilcock that all seemed quiet. he had then headed for Startops and then on to the hills. Almost immediately I then heard a SANDWICH TERN among the Common Terns. Looking up it was high up and circling over Wilstone as it called. I immediately called David who headed back up the bank and managed to locate it in his scope and heard it call on one occasion. It never came close to the water’s surface and after a few minutes David watched it head high east towards Marsworth Reservoir.

Carrying on round the reservoir I decided to see if mimicry might induce a silent Cuckoo to sing – assuming there was one there. Sure enough after a few of my attempts the real thing started singing round by Rushy Meadow and flew across to the trees in the south corner – pr esumably in an attempt to find the interloper.

Little else to report but a pre-lunch visits yielded 2 more 2nd summer LITTLE GULLS and at least one Arctic Tern with the 60+ Common Terns. To think that I dashed down to see the first Little Gulls – I needn’t have worried. I just hope that Black Terns are as obliging this spring if and when they put in an appearance. This was after a brief foray to see the obliging and smart looking WOOD WARBLER up at Steps Hill - it was well worth the trip (Roy Hargreaves)