Friday, 11th

Back in harness this morning after a 10-day break in the SW (Pom Skua; Storm Petrels, thanks to the rain and gales)

As I was walking back down the unpaved part of Teece Drive on my way back from The Flash a party of some 180 gulls flew W and in among the Lesser Black-backed Gulls there were c.30 Black-headed Gulls and at least 1 and probably 2 terns. The first I saw badly as it was between tree-top as I viewed it but it did look rather large and I think it might have been a Sandwich Tern. I sprinted to the lake to see whether anything was on the buoys and as I arrived another small group of gulls went over along with (another?) tern - this was certainly a Common Tern.

As these all headed off W ahead of an incoming shower when I got rained out of the lake I went to Trench Lock where I have seen often seen terns (though I don't go there very often). I found a Common Tern on one of the boats with 32 Black-headed Gulls (all adults) and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Also from my visit to the lake this morning: most of the bird-song has now died away but Garden Warbler is back singing along the N side. Also a Lesser Whitethroat was scolding and well seen along the W end path. Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings still singing but some dispersed from the core 'reeds' areas

Also there were c.30 finches on the wires to the E: the rain drove them and me away. For another day but probably Greenfinches

(Ed Wilson)