another tick just when it looked like spring was over

I have often surmised that finding rare birds is 70% luck, 25% chance and 5% effort; thus today was another in the long run of spring hopefuls; with rain forecast for the morning it was pure chance that I woke early, after  alate night, and strangely thought that it looked bright outside so without actually checking I was up and ready for some birding only to discover that it was actually dull, dismal and raining! having got up though I donned the waterproofs and set off for a walk around the 200ha of rough fields at East Marsh farm which has thus far this spring produced absolutely zilch but must surely be due a goody; 2 hours later, drenched and a bit peed off I headed for the adjacent pits where there was a big gang of low flying swifts to look through for that needle-tail; no needle but on sailing pit, right at the far end was a black tern with the two Little Gulls; oh well a year tick but even at 600m the upperwings seemed rather silvery and the underwings contrasted with a blackish looking belly and breast; with only my bins it was difficult to be sure but the bird looked to have white cheeks and a black cap -- suddenly it dawned that this was indeed a Whiskered Tern, first for the patch and only my second in Lincs; a frantic walk through chest high, very wet vegetation and I managed to get a much closer view which confirmed beyond all doubt that I was not dreaming; after a few phone calls the bird was still feeding and I headed off to get my car and camera; returning 15 minutes later it had gone!! so I looked around the adjacent pits and then suddenly it was back but within 3 minutes it disappeared again never to be seen again; So a classic case of chance, could well have had a lie in in the rain, could have been 20 minutes later at the pit and missed it altogether, could have chosen to go and sit in a nice dry hide as it was raining etc etc --

The result though species 251 on the patch list and 245 on my patch tally taking the year total to 148; and June's not over yet