News drifted through on Wednesday 3rd December of a tern at Dawlish Warren and it was first identified as "probable Royal or West African crested Tern" but by early evening that had been revised after photographs showed the bird to be a Lesser crested Tern.
The last British record was way back in 2005 with a bird in Norfolk on 16th July at Cromer before being seen again between 20th and 22nd July at both Minsmere and Bawdsey in Suffolk.
The first ever record was in Kent at Dungeness on 26th June 1982 and Dawlsih Warren has a prior record of the bird from 1985 but the most noteable record of Lesser crested Tern was the female that returned to breed with Sandwich Tern at Farne Islands between 1984 and 1997.
From what I can tell this December record is by far the latest record ever to make our shores with most being summer visitors.
With the news arriving late for me I had no time to get to Devon before dark on 3rd and had a family matter on 4th that prevented me travelling. On the Friday I didn't feel too well but thought I'd go today (Saturday 6th) if I could shake of the worst of the cold symptoms. The Jims had there own issues preventing travel so it was a solo run. 220 miles in little under four hours, £4 in the car park for two hours parking and a long 25minute walk out to the hide where the bird had been seen five minutes before I arrived although nobody in the hide saw it. We waited three hours by which time I'd called Ringo to pay for more parking and then news broke that the bird was about six miles away on a pontoon. Many birds left to chase it but in the hide we al decided to stay expecting the bird to return soon and sure enough it returned to fish at mid range for a few minutes but never came close. I left and stopped on the other shore bumping into a few birders at Cockwood who said they were heading to Starcross as it seemed the bird had moved that way. We arrived at the train station and I quickly found the bird resting on a distant sand bank. I got everybody there onto the bird and left for the long journey home which was thankfully without drama.
I think this is my first visit to Dawlish Warren but I really enjoyed it.
I added Shag to my year list and noted Goosander, Black-tailed and Bar tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Knot, Grey Plover, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Sanderling, Turnstone, Brent Geese (including a pale-bellied bird) Shelduck, Wigeon and Kingfisher to name a few in what was a bird rich reserve.
I'll be sure to return if I'm ever in Devon again.
Life list now 454
(my 4th new bird for 2025 and I had a feeling there was another one coming before the year ended)
year list now 245
