American Black Tern at Dungeness

We took the trip to Dunge today after I'd finished work in the hope that we might be able to see the American Black Tern that's spent the week on the reserve. A quick drive down Gallaways gave us a year tick when several Whinchat appeared along with the Stonechats as we drove the track. At the far end we searched for the reported Wryneck but dipped despite it being reported a few times during the day.

On the reserve we sat in the hide and enjoyed good views of a dozen juvenile Black Terns and a single adult before picking out the American bird which flew up and down all afternoon resting a couple of times on the distant Tern raft. It's hoped that the American/European birds will be split which would then give up another life tick but until then it's just a year tick for the "black" Terns.

Year list now 229

Common Tern

Common Tern

American Black Tern

American Black Tern (far right corner behind clay pipe honest!)

Black Tern

Black Tern