Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis
Sandwich Tern is a scarce and erratic passage visitor to the reserve as it journeys between its wintering grounds on the west African coast and the Mediterranean to its north European coastal breeding colonies including number of traditional sites around Britain’s coast supporting 11,000 pairs (as at 2000). It was regarded as a rarity at Upton Warren up until the early 1980s but is now seen virtually every year.
In total there are 28 records involving 64 birds (plus a number of other non-submitted reports) but most records are fly-throughs and the species still remains very difficult to twiitch at the reserve; the Moors Pool is slightly favoured over the Flashes. The first record was two birds found on the 12th August 1969 by Arthur Jacobs but the reserve had to wait a further 14 years until its next occurence . All but one of the records since comprise of either one or two birds. The notable exception was a flock of 28 birds seen at the Moors Pool and then briefly at the Flashes before continuing south on the 25th September 1988; this remains the largest flock ever seen in Worcestershire. Interestingly a flock of at least 40 birds was seen earlier the same day 33 miles to the east at Draycote Water; 13 birds remained at this site whilst the remainder flew off and the two records could potentially be linked.
The first tern species to arrive in this country in the spring, there seems to be a drawn out spring passage between mid April and late May with no obvious peak, an unseasonal movement in late June (failed breeders?) while the autumn return is very much focussed on September. The earliest ever arrival was the 10th April this year when one passed north through the Flashes and then the Moors Pool; the latest record one through the Moors Pool on the 3rd October 2010. The half monthly breakdown of records is as follows:
April - first half: 3 record of 3 birds
April - second half: 5 record of 6 birds
May- first half: 3 records of 5 birds
May - second half: 1 record of 1 bird
June - first half: no records
June - second half: 4 records of 4 birds
July - first half: 1 record of 1 bird
July - second half: no records
August - first half: 1 record of 2 birds
August - second half: 2 records of 4 birds
September - first half: 4 records of 6 birds
September - second half: 3 records of 31 birds
October - first half: 1 record of 1 bird
The reserve is currently going through a purple patch in relation to Sandwich Tern with 13 records, totalling 18 birds, in the last 9 years.
