Psilos Bird Journal
Monday August 20th 2007
     
"Seeking freedom " page 2
 
It seemed today that as one drama ended so another one unfolded. Exit the grebes and enter one screaming common tern from the left. He had caught a fish and was advertising the fact to anyone who would listen. As often happens this tern didnt seem to know who to give the fish to. He would fly from raft to raft calling with no reply. Other adult terns therefore see him as an easy target and decide they are going to steal the fish for their own chicks. So the chase begins, wheeling round and round the lodge and up high over the houses often disappearing. One can only wonder how much energy is used by doing this and really, as they are such good fishers, whether it is really worth the effort. I have rarely seen the chaser win the fish. Too often the fish is dropped and lost to both.
     
At last there also seemed to be some activity from the juveniles. One of them made a quick flight out of the raft and attempted to dive into the water. It rather resembled a child doing a belly flop such was the splash it created. The bird didnt seem to like it much and flew straight back to the raft to preen out his somewhat soggy feathers.
     

After two hours of waiting I really didnt think I was going to see the juvenile terns up close. I was very visibile and so clearly a threat. But then nothing in nature is predictable and I was to be proved wrong. I was watching the grebes with my back to the tern raft when it happened. Out of the cornor of my eye I was concious of movement nearby. I turned my head and was astonished to see that all three of the juvenile terns had landed on the grass no further than fifteen feet from where I was standing. Not only that but the adults came down to feed them.
     
Feeling my adrenalin pumping I crouched down in the grass and drew myself just a little closer. The adults called briefly but never in alarm and they did not attempt to divebomb me like they had the day before. Did they recognise me from yesterday and decide that I really wasnt a threat? I can only assume that they must have done for the adults flew back to the raft and settled down to preening with no more concern whilst I enjoyed watching the youngsters.

Today they decided that they would bathe in the waters edge. I would have loved to get a shot of this but alas the angle was too steep and i couldnt get a clear view. I had to contend myself with shots only when they came up onto the grass and preened.
It has to be said that the juveniles were never very active and never presented me with anything more than gentle posing. You can bet though that when they do their final stretching it is always with their back turned to you!
 
One shot I have been trying to get all summer is that of the juveniles in flight. Sadly the light has always been against me and it is something that I have failed at miserably. No doubt now I will have to wait until next year.