White-Winged Tern - Leighton Moss, Lancashire
After several days of bat surveys in North Yorkshire, my return journey home couldn't have gone any better to plan when reports of a White-Winged Tern came through from Leighton Moss. The 10 minute diversion was well worth it I decided, as this species would be a lifer for me. I arrived at the reserve mid-afternoon and *casually* walked down to the Causeway Hide where it had been reported. Unfortunately, entering the hide I noticed lots of glum faces and it turned out the bird had flown off about half an hour earlier. Thinking it was unlikely to return, I had a brief scan around the pool, which was very quiet aside from a couple of Shelduck , a quartering Marsh Harrier, a booming Bittern and the usual breeding waterfowl. Then, I looked up as a couple of Black-Headed Gulls passed overhead, and amongst them was the White-Winged Tern ! The bird shot past the hide and continued to the far edge of the pool, just about visible above the reeds. After a further 10 or so minutes thoug...