COMMON TERNS AT MINSMERE

   An early morning trip to Minsmere in the good weather this week supposedly to see the Collared Pratincole didn't result in particularly good views but many of the other waders were much more obliging, as were the the three species of tern resident there at the moment. The most numerous of these are the Common Terns which at the moment are still feeding the chicks from this breeding season. Although the chicks have left their nest scrapes by now they are dependant on the parents for food for the next couple of months when they will depart with their elders on their annual migration which may well take them down to West Africa. They feed mainly on fish, both freshwater and sea including sprats, sand-eels, roach, perch and minnows but will take aquatic insects as well. When hunting the birds hover with their heads down looking for their prey before diving head first into the water and during the week while I was watching I was lucky enough to have a bird do this right in front of me in the hide. The following shots are part of a sequence showing a tern doing just this although the bird didn't appear to be successful this time.