27th April - mostly cloudy, odd shower pm, cool light NW, 9C

Just at dinner Pete called and said he had been watching 50+ Arctic terns at Stanford reservoir.  This is quite an exceptional number any where in the Midlands, so off to see.  making my way to view the bay area I could see the Arctic terns, clearly more than 50, i counted 73, well initially at least.  Then Chris made it there and we were able to count more precisely, we made 110+.  It was amazing to see so many Arctic Terns here, a record count for Northamptonshire.  To watch them so easily and close was super to allow their plumage characters to be examined well.  Their flight en mass was quite spectacular and probably the best sighting I have had at the reservoir.  After a while one grpoup of about 50 flew up, calling loudly and then headed off NE.  later in the evening about 50 were reported at Rutland Water, could they had been these that left here?  Several other Midland waters reported small numbers too, so a definite movement through the country.

Arctic Tern (photos Chris Hubbard)

Also present were the Long-tailed Duck, Greenshank, lots of Hirundines and 2 Yellow Wagtails.