Black Tern for id (1 Viewer)

ColinD

Well-known member

• Aug 30, 2012

• #1

Hi
Is this just a Black Tern? I thought it was when I saw it, but now I've seen the photos, I don't recall seeing flanks as grey as these before.....

On Eccleston Mere St Helens this evening. Sorry for the poor quality photos.

Thanks

Colin

 

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Jan-Paul Charteris

Sussex birder and budding moth enthusiast

• Aug 30, 2012

• #2

Never know...may have followed the skimmer over! Does have a pretty decent amount of white on the head for the American one, as well as the dusky flanks and dark looking uppers

 

nickderry

C'est pas ma faute, je suis anglais.

• Aug 30, 2012

• #3

yes, it's a black tern - is it a trick of the light or is there a lot of grey on the flanks - possibly from the other side of the Atlantic????

EDIT, should have read the question! But yes, I'm thinking what you were thinking!

 

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• Aug 30, 2012

• #4

I'm thinking it too

 

JCL

Well-known member

• Aug 30, 2012

• #5

Ditto. Looks v good.

 

Phil Andrews

It's only Rock and Roller but I like it

• Aug 30, 2012

• #6

Jan-Paul Charteris said:

Never know...may have followed the skimmer over! Does have a pretty decent amount of white on the head for the American one, as well as the dusky flanks and dark looking uppers

Click to expand...

And there was a Forster's Tern in Ireland yesterday for added weight of circumstantial evidence

 

S

sparrowbirder

Well-known member

• Aug 30, 2012

• #7

Colin,whats the access like at Eccleston mere,i havent been for years is it still accessible..

 

ColinD

Well-known member

• Aug 30, 2012

• #8

sparrowbirder said:

Colin,whats the access like at Eccleston mere,i havent been for years is it still accessible..

Click to expand...

The yacht club end on Burrows lane has a gate which is usually locked. However, about 100 yards down from the gate there is a hole in the hedge which lots of people go through. Be aware though that it's a private site.

If it's not on the mere, nearby Taylor Park might be worth a look. Prescot Reservoirs is also a possibility but all access has been stopped there at the moment so lets hope it doesn't turn up there. Carr Mill Dam off the A580 is also a good possibility, birds often move between the mere and the dam.

 

Last edited: Aug 31, 2012

S

sparrowbirder

Well-known member

• Aug 30, 2012

• #9

Thanks Colin might shoot over tomorrow and give it a gander,looks interesting from the pics

 

ColinD

Well-known member

• Aug 31, 2012

• #10

sparrowbirder said:

Thanks Colin might shoot over tomorrow and give it a gander,looks interesting from the pics

Click to expand...

I had a call from a friend this evening to say that he didn't see the bird at 8pm.

 

M

manston86

Guest

• Aug 31, 2012

• #11

Hopefully it'll make another appearance...

 

J

John R Taylor

Well-known member

• Aug 31, 2012

• #12

rbnUK said:

Hopefully it'll make another appearance...

Click to expand...

Bird reported from Prescot Reservoir (no access) at about 2.00pm. This is less than a mile away from Eccleston Mere, so the bird may return later.

 

ColinD

Well-known member

• Aug 31, 2012

• #13

John R Taylor said:

Bird reported from Prescot Reservoir (no access) at about 2.00pm. This is less than a mile away from Eccleston Mere, so the bird may return later.

Click to expand...

I've posted some more pictures of similar standard on my blog here. Just heard it's back on Eccleston Mere so I'm off.....

 

Weekend Birder

Well-known member

• Aug 31, 2012

• #14

Steve Young has some pics on his site:

http://www.birdsonfilm.com/cgi-bin/wilddata.pl?cgifunction=Search&Category=a