Comic tern

Comic tern is a birders' name for either a common tern or an arctic tern - when they have failed to distinguish them. This one performed well for me over half an hour, and is actually a common tern.

It was fishing in a pool on the Pennington Marshes in Hampshire, the first one I had seen this year. I tried and failed to get a shot of the moment it dipped into the water to take a small fish.

I am staying with the Old Flyer for a couple of days, and today I went for a walk on an overcast afternoon along the coast from Keyhaven towards Lymington and back. This is a favourite place to go while I am here, there are always birds to see and at this time of year while the spring migrants are pouring into the country, there are more than most. I had been looking at a little tern before this thinking "is it a little tern?", and then this one appeared, far bigger in size. I also saw my first swift of the year, summer is on the way, even though it doesn't feel particularly warm, even here in the Deep South.

As for the Old Flyer, he is in remarkably good shape and spirits, better if anything than when I last saw him a month ago. He looks to have gained a bit of weight, the benefit of a good meal every day made by his main carer Janie. Tonight we had a treat for us both: fish and chips.

Tomorrow we go to see his new great grand-daughter Chloe Victoria, then it's the long trek home.

Apologies for poor commenting of late.