ok views of juvenile little tern this evening from 8pm (I only had my spare binoculars with me as I came straight from work) it did fly of the spit at one point calling, circled around & then straight back down on the end of the spit, I was viewing from the end of the ruck. at 8.50pm the little tern flew off again but carried on towards the western end, calling all the time, it turned around got just passed the sailing club then decided to head back towards the western end where it then started to gain height, it then got higher & higher & I eventually lost sight as it was eventually heading south.
great views of an arctic tern as it was feeding in front of me, there may of been a second but lost to view. adult & juvenile black-necked grebe over near east bay. 2 little egrets, looked like they wanted to land on the spit but didn't. 1 redshank lots of sand martins & swifts above & over the flash, several swallows & house martins.
Earlier to Simon's sighting below, 3 adult and 1 juvenile Arctic Tern flew through SW, 2 adults at 5pm were also probably different birds as I soon lost them
Also this am, single Black Tailed Godwit seen in flight over spit from South side before dropping into vegetation also single Lesser Whitethroat in with mixed tit and warbler flock around East bay.
1 Juv black necked grebe under rucks opp horrocks hide,later was chased into the main Flash by a Great crested Grebe that was fed up of it going near the nest.
21 Common Tern
235 Mallard
12 Cormorant
260 Coot
44 Great Crested Grebe
picture Black Necked Grebe Juvenile
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 30th of July 2017 05:22:25 PM
A Hungarian colour-ringed adult Mediterranean Gull was present this morning up to 11:25 at least, sat on the spit. Also present were 2 Dunlin and 13 Common Tern.
3 Black Tailed Godwit on main spit this am, also redshank and Greylag goose. 17 common tern over flash and 33+ Great Crested Grebe. Several mixed warbler and tit flocks around sure with good numbers of juv Reed Warbler and blackcap.
Goldcrest, chiffchaff, willow warbler, blackcap, whitethroat, reed warbler, bullfinch, reed bunting, skylark, jay 1 willow tit heard 3 kingfisher (presumed; one in the western bay, two from Ramsdales hide) 2 teal 30+ tufted duck c30 great crested grebe 30+ lapwing, including several grown juveniles 1 common sandpiper 7 oystercatcher (three over) 4 common tern 2 buzzard
Earlier this week, Wednesday I think it was, I was watching the female Great crested Grebe on the nest rearranging it with more nesting material brought by what I thought was the male, but if you are saying John that the male abandoned her would another male take over? Personally I don't know of that behavior, but I am probably wrong.
I could be wrong ,but I have visited to see About 6times in the last 2 weeks and not seen the Male but if the Male is still about they coul lay again hopefully not where they are vulnerable out in the open like they have been this time. Maybe The male just felt guilty and come back occasionally to help,it will be the same Male you saw.