Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Willen Lakes - 1st June 2013
Photos copyright
Jason Chalk
There are many other excellent photos of Common Terns on the Birders Photo Gallery
Broughton Trout Pools, Nr Aylesbury - April/May 2007
Photos copyright Mike Wallen
A pair of Common Terns took up temporary residence at Broughton Trout Pools, allowing these excellent photos to be obtained.
Little Marlow Gravel Pit - 2005
Photos copyright Adrian Parker
In 2005 11 Common Tern chicks were ringed on the rafts in late June. Two other chicks were too small to ring and 2-3 more have hatched since. The colour scheme for 2005 is Yellow/Orange as shown above. The ringing was again carried out by Mick McQuaid and Mike Collard.
For reference the colour rings used in the last few years at Little Marlow have been :-
2002 16 young ringed BTO ring on left leg; dark green/ yellow on right leg 2003 18 young ringed BTO ring on left leg; red/ yellow on right leg 2004 16 young ringed BTO ring on left leg; blue/ yellow on right leg 2005 11 young ringed BTO ring on left leg; orange/ yellow on right leg
Please report any sightings to Mick McQuaid or Mike Collard
Little Marlow Gravel Pit - 2004
These pictures of adults show the black in the wing tips really well.
Above and below - The juvenile bill and upperwing patterns are shown very well.
Above photos copyright Adrian Parker
Photo copyright Mike Collard
2004 was another good year for the Common Terns at Little Marlow GP. There were 16 terns ringed on the rafts this year, each one given a blue over yellow colour ring on their left leg. There were also 5 dead young on the rafts following wet cold weather on the 24th June. The ringing was again carried out by Mick McQuaid and Mike Collard.
Of interest is the news that one of the colour rings birds from 2002 was recently seen at Hayling Island, near Portmouth, Hampshire. In 2002 the colour scheme used was dark green over yellow.
Little Marlow Gravel Pit - 2002
Photos copyright Jim Rose
Just one of the pairs of Common Terns that bred at Little Marlow in 2002. Pictures taken on 26th May 2002
Little Marlow Gravel Pit - August 1999
Video still copyright Dave Ferguson