Tuesday 30 April 2013

Terns arrive!


Since St Patrick’s Day, Sandwich Terns have been reported along the Co. Dublin coast. These have been supplemented by reports of small numbers of Common, Arctic and Little Terns from about the start of April onwards. My own first summer migrants of the year were two Sandwich Terns on the Merrion Gates spit on the 28th March. This BirdTrack graph shows that Sandwich Terns’ arrival hasn’t been affected by the prolonged period of easterly winds and the cold temperatures that played havoc with this year’s spring migration schedule.

The percentage of birders' list in Britain and Ireland
that include Sandwich Tern. Source: BirdTrack.net
Despite the slow start, the delayed hirundines and warblers have been flooding in recently.  The rest of the terns will join us shortly, and it won’t be long before the tern colonies in Dublin Port, Rockabill and Dalkey Island are once again in full swing! 

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