STEVE ASHTON'S WILDLIFE GALLERY

My Diary

Black Tern at Westbere.

A nice change today, I only got wet, instead of drenched, which is what happened on my two aborted trips Saturday and Sunday. With news of a Woodchat Shrike seen at Shuarts on Saturday afternoon, between Reculver and Minnis Bay, a bird that I am keen to catch up with as it is high on my “must make an effort to see” list, and a long awaited life tick for me, I spent two mornings in the area, trying to track it down. Sunday mornings attempt was cut short by a very wet day, and a complete drenching for my troubles, and this morning I drew a blank, with two visits in a very inhospitable Northerly gale. I was given the run around by two Lesser Whitethroats in the hedgerows either side of the path leading down to the railway, proving very difficult to pin down with the camera, and what results I did manage were quickly deleted. Plenty of Common Whitethroats, 3 Marsh Harriers, with Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Chaffinch, Wren, Robin, Long-tailed, Great and Blue Tits all seen . A pair of Jays were noted, and a Green Woodpecker, as I sheltered from a shower , one of many that interrupted the morning. 3 Marsh Harriers were seen, a Cuckoo was seen and heard, and 3 Sedge Warblers, and a Reed Warbler were in the dyke by the railway crossing. There was a Turtle Dove flying across a field at the bottom of Shuarts drove. A text message from Martyn Wilson, alerted me to the presence of a Black Tern, in amongst the Common Terns, feeding over the lake at Westbere. (Thanks Martyn) As it was practically home for me, I called in, and immediately picked it out, and spent the next two hours trying to get a photo of it. This must be the hardest bird I have ever tried to photograph, being extremely difficult to get the autofocus mechanism of my camera to lock onto it, not helped by having to look into the light. It did land on a buoy, a fair distance out, where I got a few record shots of it, but even when the bird was still, I still was unable to get a good shot of it. After the poor showing of the previous few days, at least it was something to look at. Also being in a wooded area, I was sheltered from the squally rain showers. Plenty of Great Crested Grebes were seen, a pair of Pochard flew by, and there were about 40 Common Terns out over the lake. A Little Egret was seen flying East along the Stour, and throughout my 2 hour stay, there was constant song from Blackcap and Chiffchaff behind me in the wood. Met up with the Westbere fishing bailiff, which was an old school friend, Dave Johnson, and spent a pleasant half hour chatting, which was a welcome relief from trying to nail the Tern.