Arctic Tern, Plymouth

Storm Aileen barrelled through overnight on September 12th and at lunchtime the following day news of a Sabines gull on the River Plym was texted to me by local birder Russ but unfortunately I was on the bus heading to work! Later another text came through with news of various terns (Sandwich, common, black, Arctic and roseate) off Mount Batten Pier - typical!

The next day (14th) I was back at work in the morning but I finished at 2:30 and on arriving home I checked the bird sighting pages to find terns had again been reported off Mount Batten that morning and so I decided to go and have a look.

It was sunny but cool and breezy with occassional spots of rain and while sitting on the ferry at The Barbican waiting to cross to Mount Batten I could see distant terns fishing in The Cattewater, mostly Sandwich but with a few smaller "commic" terns. Crossing The Cattewater on the ferry and the terns had all disappeared but as I walked out onto Mount Batten Pier I could see terns fishing all around Plymouth Sound from Jennycliff to Devils Point but they were all distant. However a juvenile Arctic tern was resting on the Pier and gave some amazing views down to a few feet as it rested a while before flying off to fish again - a gorgeous looking bird and one that I am not very familiar with.

Juvenile Arctic Tern, Mount Batten Pier

Arctic Tern

Arctic Tern

Arctic Tern

Arctic Tern

Arctic Tern

Arctic Tern

Arctic Tern

Scanning around and the terns were very mobile and mostly distant and therefore difficult to keep track of but I did see 7 Arctic terns together at one point and there were 10+ common terns and 20+ Sandwich terns although there must have been more than these numbers present. Occassionally they flew quite close to the Pier giving some nice flight views but quickly moved on although presumably the same juvenile Arctic tern returned to rest on the Pier for a short time before flying off again.

Arctic Tern

Arctic Tern

Arctic Tern

Arctic Tern

Also seen were a gannet, 2 adult winter and 2 1st winter Mediterranean gulls and 3 swallows before it was time to get the last ferry back to The Barbican at 6pm - quality birding on my doorstep and all for the £3 ferry fare.