Storyville – West Africa to Preston Dock!

'I wanna tell you a story...'

primarily in pictures, there aren't any award winning photos here but bear with me and hopefully I can make sense of this (that'll make a change then!).

It goes back over a few years when I first came across the Common Tern at Preston Dock, West Africa to Preston Dock... I ask you!

The male who appears to have started this colony was ringed at Doffcocker Lodge, Bolton on 14 June 2006 hasn't been seen so far this year. I have been down three or four times, mainly when the light was awful and aperture speeds just not fast enough, it started off with about 13 birds and last count was 23+, the plus because they are often mobile and keeping track isn't always easy, so 23 is a seen count with probable others.

It appears as if the birds have been flying off west down into the River Ribble but quite how far they are going is presently unknown to the author... so to the story in pics (not all photos taken on the same day, or same time), more posts on the same subject to follow a sthe story has moved on but I can't keep up!

returning home with the catch

landing with the catch, not always on the correct pontoon
can cause havoc

involves lots of posturing

and may involve another fly past

while others may be in the air on business or looking for a mugging

returning often attracts unwanted attention

more posturing with the mrs... (anyone know what the fish is?)
the male has the fish

results in a tug of war

which can last for sometime, all part of the bonding and courtship process

all the while the live fish in the middle of all this

whereupon the male gives in and the mrs gets her catch and
hopefully she wont have a headache later

while others take an interest

but nothing a common tern cant handle
he's just taking the proverbial
come back when your agile enough!

sun is so much better, included because I have never seen the
feet in this position before

and sometimes you get lucky