20240604 American Black Tern, NT Long Nanny, Northumberland

 

20240604 American Black Tern
Darker grey upperparts with a white leading edge to the wings.
American Black Tern was first recorded in Britain in 1999, when a juvenile spent nine days at Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, in early October. There have been just seven records since, all of autumn juveniles. In Northumberland, there is one previous record, a brief offshore visitor to St Mary's Island on 7 October 2019.

20240604 A Black Tern
2 eggs seen in the nest.

20240605 American Black Tern Chlidonias surinamensis
Carbon black head and body to rear of flank.

20240605 American Black Tern
Female.

20240605 American Black Tern
Paired with male Arctic Tern...

20240604 Arctic Tern
On Nigella's nest spike.

20240606 A Black Tern
Change over at the nest. Male Arctic was reluctant to leave...
3 eggs were laid and incubated, but none hatched...

20240605 American Black Tern
Leading in white.

20190614 Black Tern
June bird at Cley in very dull conditions.
No white leading edge to wing.