Black Tern for id (1 Viewer)

[ColinD]

Hi
Is this just a Black Tern? I thought it was when I saw it, but now I've seen the photos, I don't recall seeing flanks as grey as these before.....

On Eccleston Mere St Helens this evening. Sorry for the poor quality photos.

Thanks

Colin

 

[Jan-Paul Charteris]

Never know...may have followed the skimmer over! Does have a pretty decent amount of white on the head for the American one, as well as the dusky flanks and dark looking uppers

 

[nickderry]

yes, it's a black tern - is it a trick of the light or is there a lot of grey on the flanks - possibly from the other side of the Atlantic????

EDIT, should have read the question! But yes, I'm thinking what you were thinking!

 

[Jane Turner]

I'm thinking it too

 

[JCL]

Ditto. Looks v good.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Never know...may have followed the skimmer over! Does have a pretty decent amount of white on the head for the American one, as well as the dusky flanks and dark looking uppers

And there was a Forster's Tern in Ireland yesterday for added weight of circumstantial evidence

 

[sparrowbirder]

Colin,whats the access like at Eccleston mere,i havent been for years is it still accessible..

 

[ColinD]

Colin,whats the access like at Eccleston mere,i havent been for years is it still accessible..

The yacht club end on Burrows lane has a gate which is usually locked. However, about 100 yards down from the gate there is a hole in the hedge which lots of people go through. Be aware though that it's a private site.

If it's not on the mere, nearby Taylor Park might be worth a look. Prescot Reservoirs is also a possibility but all access has been stopped there at the moment so lets hope it doesn't turn up there. Carr Mill Dam off the A580 is also a good possibility, birds often move between the mere and the dam.

 

[sparrowbirder]

Thanks Colin might shoot over tomorrow and give it a gander,looks interesting from the pics

 

[ColinD]

Thanks Colin might shoot over tomorrow and give it a gander,looks interesting from the pics

I had a call from a friend this evening to say that he didn't see the bird at 8pm.

 

[manston86]

Hopefully it'll make another appearance...

 

[John R Taylor]

Hopefully it'll make another appearance...

Bird reported from Prescot Reservoir (no access) at about 2.00pm. This is less than a mile away from Eccleston Mere, so the bird may return later.

 

[ColinD]

Bird reported from Prescot Reservoir (no access) at about 2.00pm. This is less than a mile away from Eccleston Mere, so the bird may return later.

I've posted some more pictures of similar standard on my blog here. Just heard it's back on Eccleston Mere so I'm off.....

 

[Weekend Birder]

Steve Young has some pics on his site:

http://www.birdsonfilm.com/cgi-bin/wilddata.pl?cgifunction=Search&Category=a