News broke yesterday that local birder Steve Hinde had found an adult Gull-billed tern before high tide off the Dee sailing club at Thurstaston. I was currently working and needed this for Cheshire and Wirral. Gripped off, I had to wait till tomorrow to see if the bird was still present.
News came out early this morning, so I made my way there, and it wasn't long before the bird flew past me as I was walking along the tideline. The Tern flew down to a few feet over my head before landing on the beach, eating a crab.
What an absolutely stunning bird, and only my second for Britain; the last one I saw was on the Dyfi estuary, Wales, in 2007. This bird was Cheshire and Wirral's 9th record.
Birders watching the Gull-Billed Tern
Thurstaston beach
PREVIOUS CHESHIRE AND WIRRAL RECORDS:
1976 Hoylake-Hilbre and Red Rocks, 2nd and 4th August
1982 Hoylake-8th July
1987 Frodsham Marshes-31st May
1989 Inner Marsh Farm-16th June
1995 Frodsham-N06 Tank, 31st July
2002 Inner Marsh Farm-18th May
2015 Burton RSPB-3rd July
2018 Burton RSPB-23rd-24th May
2018 Burton RSPB-23rd-24th May