Dutch Sandwich Tern Observed on Passage Through Alderney

On 27 August I saw a colour ringed Sandwich Tern in a small flock of terns resting in Braye Bay, Alderney. Yellow 17T was ringed as a chick on the Dutch Island of Texel. The project leader, Dr Mardik Leopold sent me a lot of information about his project, and this chick, which I have reproduced below, along with his very nice photo!
"Thank you very much for reporting this sighting! Y-17T is indeed one of our birds. It was ringed, with 311 conspecifics, in the colony “Utopia”, Texel, The Netherlands, on 27 June 2015, and is the fourth of this year’s chicks to be reported from the greater Channel area. We prepared a map (yesterday, so your bird is not on it yet) of all sighting so far. Please have a look at:

http://www.wageningenur.nl/nl/Expertises-Dienstverlening/Onderzoeksinstituten/imares/Expertisegebieden/Mariene-ecologie/Grote-Sterns-volgen-door-kleurringen/Verspreidingskaart-Grote-Sterns.htm

 by clicking on the symbols, you will get details on ring numbers and dates (week numbers).

I think we are seeing a pattern unravelling where some chicks remain in Dutch waters (for over a month after fledging), producing many sightings, while some others turning up at some distance. These latter birds typically disappeared from view at an early stage here and your bird fits this pattern: see life history below. 17T was seen in the natal colony only once after ringing, which is not much by our standards, and was not seen at all elsewhere (same). ".
It is wonderful when project leaders reply with such a wealth of interesting information!

Sandwich Tern Yellow 17T, when ringed in June 2015 as a chick on Texel, The Netherlands (c) Mardik Leopold



 

 

 

When ringed, it was a very average-sized chick, compared to all the others: its measurements and body mass  were placed centrally in the cloud of data points. I guess that “being average” means exactly nothing!