One good Tern deserved another...
...but it didn't happen! In essence, I dipped spectacularly on the Sooty Tern at Howick, and that was the over-riding sentiment as I drove home. I then reflected on the excellent morning I'd spent, in contrast, photographing Roseate Terns at Beacon Point, Newbiggin-by-Sea. It was an educational experience, too: I hadn't realised how much the amount of red on the bill varies and initially dismissed many of the Roseates as Commons. I has also inadvertently caught some juveniles on digital film. (Part of the problem here was that I had anticipated the Roseates being far less common and numerous.) Anyway, stealth and patience enabled me to get really intimate with these delightful and unfamiliar creatures. It was also fun comparing them with the nearby (and far less numerous) Arctic Terns, Common Terns and Sandwich Terns. Needless to say, I got my best (and only?) photographs of the Roseates. The rest of the day was a right-off. The Caspian Gull didn't show at Amble but then appeared briefly while I was waiting for the Sooty Tern at Howick... which didn't show all day. At least I hadn't spent all day there (since 4am!) like some folk had.
