Lesser Crested Tern – Beacon Lane, Spurn, East Yorkshire, 18th June 1993
I hurriedly assembled my gear and started off along Beacon Lane. Some birders were coming back from the ponds and suggested it had flown off earlier but might have returned. I rushed on. The next birder I bumped into was looking for a Common Rosefinch and repeated the story. As we chatted Sandwich Terns were flying past. I raised my bins, and continuing my lucky streak, the first bird I binned was it!!! All within six minutes of arrival...... !
I fluked a very good fly past view in excellent evening sunlight. It was about 30m or 40m up and initially at least 100m away. I suppose it was in view for a minute or so, initially directly alongside us, but then quickly disappearing towards the Point.
Unfortunately, (particularly as a 05:00 rise was called for) it was not connected with the following morning, so reverting to its previous frustrating behaviour.
So, any description relates to flight views only. It superficially resembled a Sandwich Tern (and sounded like one!) apart from the yolk yellow bill. The black cap looked similar in extent as well. As it disappeared away from us a whiter panel in the inner upper-wing was apparent.
I caught up with ‘Elsie’ (L. C., geddit?) again on Inner Farne the following summer (and with a hybrid offspring!) at Musselburgh at the time of the Western Sandpiper in August 1997.