A common tern stalking its fish

I suddenly had the idea to go to the lake at Frampton Court today as I'd seen a report of some interesting birds sighted there in the last week. Helena said she would like to come as did our friend Angela who came to visit us at lunchtime. 

After we'd eaten I drove the few miles west to the lake which is actually an old gravel pit used to supply the building trade from the 17th century onwards. By the early 20th century most of the gravel went by a new railway extension built specifically for the transport of the gravel to be used to build the expanding Avonmouth Docks near Bristol.

Once at the lake we all enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere. I counted more than fifty swans swimming on the somewhat reduced level of the lake as they steadily grazed on the weeds. There were fewer greylag geese than previously seen and no ducks at all.  I spotted a pair of red-necked grebes too as well as two egrets, a hobby, two shags and a few pigeons.

But I spent most of my time standing holding my camera and watching the relentless feeding exploits of three common terns as they hovered over the lake before diving vertically down to find fish beneath the water's surface. At one time I managed to photograph one of the terns flying up out of the water with a large fish in its mouth and flying off towards the land to eat it at leisure.