Kingsteignton Gull-billed Tern

Gull-billed Tern

                                                      Gull-billed Tern

                                                       Gull-billed Tern

                                                   Gull-billed Tern

Gull-billed Tern

Snapped by Paul

Gull-billed Tern

Spotted Redhank (Centre)

Greenshank

You-Tube Video - D.Boult

As many of you know Terns and Owls are my favourite species so the temptation to head to Devon on my middle day off with new binoculars in hand to see a rare Gull-billed Tern was always going to prove to much. So after I dropped a couple of texts outs I headed south with Paul and David after meeting up on the M5.

Destination was the Passage House Hotel in Kingsteignton which I've stayed at on previous visits to Devon. A two minute walk up the river took us to a small gathering of the five birders who had reported the bird was still present and within a minute we were treated the first of many fly pasts by the Gull-billed Tern. This rare Tern isn't recorded very often perhaps only twice a year in the UK & Ireland. They winter in Africa and breed in open flat lakes and marshes.

The new binoculars allowed me to get some very close views of the birds short, thick, black bill. We headed under the A480 where you could see the bird perched where you could see the longer legs and the bird feeding on the estuary worms and insects. After a great session we headed to RSPB Bowling Green Marsh where we spent time on the viewing balcony and the hide. Highlights included two Greenshanks, Spotted Redshank, hundreds of  Redshank & Curlew, Black-Tailed Godwits, Oystercatchers and Green Sandpipers.

The journey back home was a bit grim as the weather had closed in however a Starbucks Frappacino and knowledge we had seen the Tern made the last few miles much easier.