A Bridled Tern was found by the wardens on Coquet Island in Northumberland at the beginning of June and I was keen to see this bird. It was being viewed distantly from the dunes near Amble, so I travelled up after work with the hope of seeing it before dusk. However, after a lengthy drive it was disappointing to find the light not conducive to picking out individual tern species at over a mile distance across the sea. I realised I was going to have to stay over and try again in the morning.
It was a freezing night and I slept in the car for a few hours, but as it was mid summer it never really seemed to get dark and sleep was impossible. I started again at 5am and spent a 4 hours trying to pick the bird out, but again with the sun behind the island all that was visible were hundreds of tern silhouettes. It was frustrating knowing I could probably see the Bridled Tern but couldn't pick it out. To make it worse a couple of birders arrived and claimed to have picked it out after about ten minutes.
Plan B was instigated and I booked onto one of the 'Puffin Specials' going out to the island around midday. After a short crossing to the island, I was elated to see the term sat among the Puffins in exactly the spot I was looking at from the dunes.
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After a few minutes the bird flew up and made a few close passes of the boat before landing again, giving superb views.
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