On April 10 Mardik Leopold discovered while studying Sandwich Terns in nature reserve Utopia a special species; Forster's Tern. At first the bird seemed to have disappeared but was found several hours later in exactly the same spot. It was an adult bird in winter plumage. The comma-shaped black ear patch in winter plumage is a distinctive feature. Forsters Tern occurs in North America. This tern breeds mainly in marshes and winters along the coasts of North and Central America.

This is the fifth record for the Netherlands and the first for Texel. Earlier this vagrant was seen in 1986, 1995, 1999 and 2003. On April 18, the bird was last seen on De Volharding at De Cocksdorp.

Forsters Stern / Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri, ad winter, Utopia, Texel, 11-04-2016

Forsters Stern / Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri, ad winter, Utopia, Texel, 10-04-2016