The Arctic Tern can be found breeding on Lindesfarne Island, off the coast of Northumberland, from May through to July. It nests on the ground, and the breeding pairs will sit on or near the eggs, ready to defend them with their lives against anyone who so much as walks past! Above, a placid looking tern guards its speckled egg. The below pic, however, shows what happens when someone walks past.
A loud clicking noise followed by a screech emits from the beak of the tern as it dive-bombs down to attack heads, before wheeling around and starting again. A sturdy hat is a must when in close proximity of terns!
Once the breeding season is complete, an Arctic tern will migrate to the Southern Hemisphere to winter there. A fledgling has in the past been recorded to make the journey from Lindisfarne to Melbourne, Australia in just three months. With a migratory round trip of approximately 44,000 miles, the Arctic tern is unrivalled in its annual mileage.
