Sutton Bingham - Wed 13 Jul

A stop at the dam before work produced four Common Sandpipers and a Little Egret. Nothing much else about so I was in shock when at midday I got a text telling me an adult Sandwich Tern was present. What followed was a long wait until I could get away from work, and luckily I finished at lunchtime.

However, when I arrived there was no sign of the bird! I bumped in to the finder, Oli Mockridge, and after a quick chat I set off to the Canoe Club to check the southern end...nothing. I headed back to the northern causeway and spotted it on a buoy, then realised Oli had text me to say he'd relocated it. He also mentioned that whilst I'd been searching for the Sandwich Tern a Black-tailed Godwit had flown through...the second one I've missed on patch this year. Oh well, you win some you lose some and I was more than happy with seeing the Sandwich Tern as my only other record at Sutton Bingham was back in May 2001!

I popped back to the reservoir late afternoon and there were three juvenile Lesser Whitethroats in the car park, good to have proof of successful breeding. The Sandwich Tern was still present off the dam.

Also this afternoon, three Great Black-backed Gulls were off the Sailing Club.