On this the second day of unsettled conditions, murk frustrated seawatching efforts early morning, though at least managed to produce three Arctic Skua, a Balearic Shearwater and a Roseate Tern.
Heavy showers persisted into the evening and birds continued to drop in and take refuge over the high tide with selected counts including 169 Redshank, 88 Dunlin, 49 Ringed Plover, 40+ Mediterranean Gull, 34 Sanderling, 27 Great Black-backed Gull (first two juvs of the year), 16 Turnstone, four each of Common Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank and Common Gull, the long-staying fs Grey Plover and the resident Slavonian Grebe.
The day belonged to the terns; four Little Tern (1 juv) of which two adults were colour-ringed, one from the Chesil Beach, Portland colony and the other from the large colony at Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow (Ireland), our 4th bird from there. Colour-rings were read on six of the 157 Sandwich Tern (42 juvs) from the hide. Three were ringed in Wales with 'KDB' here from its 14th day and 'KAL' making its first appearance of the autumn, back for its 5th autumn in a row here. Another was ringed on Inner Farnes and two new yellow-ringed birds were from Holland. And an update on the Sandwich Tern here on 26th July, which was ringed on Firth of Clyde (W Scotland) as a chick (pullus) in 2016. It was seen at Wagejot, Texel, Holland the next day, then was back again at Dawlish Warren on the day after that, plus yesterday! Long distance 'reverse' migration by this species has been recorded, as has the habit of young adult terns to travel extensively to explore new areas and colonies.
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