Wednesday 3 September 2014

Common Terns - Shropshire's first breeding success!

This story started back in April 2014! With a deluge of Arctic Terns passing through the midlands, I might have raised some eyebrows when I  reported 2 Common Terns at Chelmarsh reservoir! I don't think there was another record put out in the Midlands?? Thinking back, their behaviour (24th April) was quite interesting - romantic even.....


and following continuous sightings which included one bird clearly 'sitting'. There was a magic moment one evening on July 22nd youngsters had very recently hatched!

The distant family group....


The two chicks with one of the parents.


The parents were extremely busy fending off the attentions of the gulls there!



I was pretty busy on my travels thereafter but a return visit one month to the day later (22nd August) revealed that the chicks (down to one now) had  fledged! Here's the youngster still present that day


Begging for food!




Touchy feely begging!


The adult still scrambling to deter the attentions of Gull - always hoping for a free meal too!




A wing stretch.....


If calling doesn't result in my food?


I'll feign the broken wing trick!


It didn't work!!


How about a pull on the parents tail?


I suppose I'll have to find my own food then....


This fishing lark isn't as easy as you might think.....



A couple of portraits....



The make a lovely couple?


And off on their long journey now! No sign at the end of last week.....