Black Terns at Ferry Meadows CP. Peterborough

Crap photos, great birds!

Black Terns at sunset

Black Terns at Ferry Meadows CP

Two juvenile Black Terns were present at Ferry Meadows CP in Peterborough in the middle of the week, which gave me another chance to catch up with this lovely little marsh tern. This time the sun was shining and the birds much closer than on my sighting of the 6 at Baston, but my efforts are still not as pleasing as I had hoped.

Black Terns at Baston and Langtoft gravel pits, Lincolnshire

A few ropey 'record' shots showing a few of the 6 Black Terns that were present on 'T'-junction pit at the Baston and Langtoft gravel pit complex, 2 juveniles and 4 adults. These birds were forced down by the rain (hence the grainy/gloomy shots), but as soon as the rain lifted, so did the birds. These birds represent the first 'multi' sighting of this species by yours truly and the first in the PBC recording area this year.

Hopefully you will see in the photos the birds' different plumage, showing what is left of the black plumage on the adult birds and the 'cleaner' appearance of the juvenile birds.

Black Tern

This Black Tern was present on Gunwade Lake at Ferry Meadows CP in Peterborough today and is another `tick` on my PBC year list. As is normal at the moment, the rain was falling down and the sky was as black as night, but I managed to get this `record` shot of a bird that is an annual visitor to the Peterborough area.

The Black Tern does not breed in the U.K., but is seen on passage in Spring and Autumn on its way to and from  breeding grounds which range from Denmark to Spain and east Russia to Asia. The American Black Tern (currently classed as a sub-species) breeds in North America. European birds winter along the coast of West Africa.

A lovely bird, that is not done justice by the above photo!