Terns on the river

27th August 2014 - Topsham

It seems there was something of a tern movement in south Devon yesterday, I almost missed out. I should really have been down at Exmouth I suppose but still managed to see a few. While on my way to check Bowling Green Marsh I stopped on the Goatwalk to scan the estuary and noticed a group of 15 Common Terns hanging around a buoy in mid channel.

Common Terns - 27/8/2014 Topsham - part of a group of 15, 3 adults and 12 juvs

Common Terns - 27/8/2014 Topsham - part of a group of 15, 3 adults and 12 juvs

They flew my way, overhead and silhouetted against a grey sky, heading east so I moved on to Bowling Green Marsh where I hoped to find them again. But that was it, they were gone. Just as puzzling was the almost complete lack of gulls both at BGM and at Goosemoor - usually at high tide there are hundreds if not thousands. Perhaps something to do with the new hide construction?