The spring of 2025 saw the Ely10 graced by a sublime avian visitor, a spanking adult Roseate Tern. Back during pandemic lockdown a single had spent a few hours at Kingfishers Bridge but I'd not managed to connect with that bird. Years ago, when taking a punt on a squally autumnal north westerly, Ben and I had spent a morning looking for overland skua passage at Foul Anchor, we didn't see any but we did pick up a tern hacking low across the Lincolnshire fields, close across the river channel and into Norfolk (the site of the long gone, but legendary, Wisbech Sewage Farm). Like a diminutive juvenile Sandwich Tern, clear and heavily scalloping across the back, light of flight and silvery of wing, we checked and re-checked as a young Roseate Tern flew in front of us. Watched frpm one county as it flew between two others.
I wasn't quick of the mark visiting Welney either and saw this bird on it's second day of redsidence. Wrongly, I was incredulous about such an early record, particularly inland. Roseates generally arrive to breeding grounds later than our other breeding terns and I suspected a mis-identification. However when the Roseate was reported again, in front of the main observatory, I made tracks and was very pleased that I did being treated to my best views ever of this beautiful seabird.
When I arrived the tern was stood out on a muddy bank and after a wait, enjoying all aspects of this incredible occurence, the tern took to the air. What a bird!!! With little water to feed over the Roseate Tern was limited to spending it's time hawking and dipping just in front of the hide. Graceful, elegant and shimmering in the sunlight, the unlikely visitor was an early spring gift that made the season for me. I was caught up in all sorts if things at the time and didn't post any of Simon's wonderful photo's. Something, a year on, I am pleased to rectify.
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