Drama at the Docks

I have recently visited the tern colony at the former Preston Docks site.This is now a marina and has become home to well over one hundred pairs of common terns plus a few arctic terns.It is a wonderful place to spend a couple of hours and observe the daily dramas that take place.The chicks are now hatching and there is much activity with the comings and goings of the adults as they try to feed their hungry youngsters.Some of the young are now more advanced and appear to be well fed and being protected by the adult birds.

Some of the very young ones however are in danger of being attacked by other terns and some have been predated by the ever present gulls.The second to fifth images below show one of the very young chicks being pecked to death by an adult.Obviously not its parent and overcrowding may be the cause of this unpleasant way to die.In my couple of visits I have seen this behaviour from a couple of adult terns and it is not very nice to see happening.Other chicks however seem to be doing well and the parents return frequently with fresh fish from the nearby River Ribble.

Also shown below a couple of general views of the marina and some of the pontoons with their nest boxes being used by the terns.It is a great place to meet up with other photographers and discuss equipment and tactics.Frequent visitors to the terns are David and Jackie Moreton from Cleveleys who take some excellent images of the terns and who are shown enjoying the afternoon sunshine.Sunshine has been in short supply this week and it has been unsettled and cool.Hopefully next week we will return to more summery weather.Thanks for looking in and as promised I hope to post some images next time of my visit to Bempton Cliffs.