Gull- billed Tern at Alton Water by the skin of our teeth

On Tuesday 4th August, hearing that the GBT had returned to Alton Water, I took James B (wearing face masks and the windows open) in the car down to Alton Water but we took the diversionary route of the A143 almost to Diss and then A140. Some expert navigating by James B got us their at 7.20pm and parking by the main car park by the cafe, we ran up to another birder looking who thought he had it. James B soon picked it up and we saw the magnificent moulting adult Gull- billed Tern (a personal first for Suffolk) it flying mostly around the left hand edge of the reservoir but at one point it flew towards us but by the time I got to the waters edge, I'd lost it. We did pick it up in flight several times before it settled on the railings, rather appropriately under a "Thank you NHS" sign perched on the railing just below the "H". definitely a wonderful thank you to have especially as I work for the NHS! It was distant and we didn't have time to walk around as sadly they closed the gates at 8pm, but I will be back at some point hopefully to obtain some shots! Lots of Common Terns, c.30 seen too.