With the exciting news that the common terns nesting on our magnificent tern raft have managed to raise a chick, we decided we should head out to make sure the anti-predator, electric fence round the outside of the raft was still working. So off David and I sailed across the warm, still waters of the reedbed.
We've got a number of clay pipes on the raft to provide shelter for the chick, but as it has grown so much there is now only one pipe the chick can fit into. This pipe is the same one that has the electric fence battery pack hidden in it. Doing my bit to step up for nature I received a number of electric shocks before managing to move the chick out the way and change the batteries. The chick wandered off across the raft and hid in the shade of one of the plants now growing on the raft, whilst the obviously worried parents started dive bombing us. I seemed to bear the brunt of their attack and was hit by at least three slightly fishy smelling and quite runny bird droppings. One was a particularly accurate shot that hit me on the neck and slowly dripped down inside my t-shirt. With the batteries changed we beat a hasty retreat away from the terns and back through clouds of damselflies to the safety of the shore.
Photo 1.) Changing the batteries
Photo 2.) Common tern chick, unnerving us with its 'I'm going to jump' look
Photo 3.) Escaping the terns, showing off the signs of attack on my buoyancy aid