16/07/2020 Dipped on Roseate Tern and still had a fabulous trip!

Thursday 16 July 2020
Church Norton, near Chichester, Sussex

I can't believe, at my age, that I was stood up by a bird in Church Norton yet still enjoyed my evening!  Let me explain.

The bird in question was a roseate tern which, after a reported mid afternoon sighting, spurred me on to make the journey down to Chichester to see it.  In the 75 minutes or so it took me to get there however, the bird flew out to sea again.  The advice from he local birders was to simply sit on the bench and wait for it's return on the high tide.


That was an easy thing to do.  It was such a gorgeous evening - sunny and very calm.

• There were at least 2 close whimbrels showing on the mud in front of me.
• A greenshank was patrolling along the edges of the nearest channel.
• A common sandpiper joined us later on just before the high tide.
• It was nice to see a pair of ringed plovers close by - and a chick.
• I lost count of the number of med gulls on show - most in lovely summer plumage still.
• The undoubted stars of the show however were the terns with lots of little terns, even more sandwich terns and the odd common tern on display.

As the tide came in I and 2 other local birders grew more and more confident about seeing the roseate tern but it was not to be and around 9 pm I decided to call it a day and head home.

It was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had at Church Norton and one that kept me there even though BHAFC were on telly, playing a crucial Premier League match at Southampton.  Even an Albion goal could not stir me from my cracking birding position.  

Two days on and the roseate tern(s) have still not returned - only a small consolation!