I dipped a Forster's Tern by a minute

I was on duty at the RSPB Hide on Belfast Harbour Reserve yesterday from 1-5 It was a very bright day but there were alot of birds to be seen. This google image was taken a few years ago as there are now two manmade tern islands in the lagoon.

Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Sandwich Tern
Redshank
Snipe
Knot
Dunlin
Curlew
Curlew Sandpiper
Black Tailed Godwit
Mallard
Shelduck
Heron
Oystercatcher
Little Gull
Herring Gull
Black Headed Gull
Lesser Black Backed Gull
Greater Black Backed Gull
Buzzard
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Linnet
Reed Bunting
Sedge Warbler
Willow Warbler
Swift
Swallow
House Martin
Sand Martin
Wood Pigeon
Lapwing
Ringed Plover
Coot
Moorhen
Jackdaw
Magpie

A phonescoped photo of the Curlew sandpiper

At the end of the shift I went up a crane which Anthony (The Reserve Warden) had hired to count the tern nests on the islands without disturbing them and there was a brilliant view of the reserve. I think the RSPB should build a high rise hide! Earlier in the day some Roseate Terns had been spotted and I didnt see them so we then went to Kinnegar Shore less than a mile away to see if we could see any again sadly not. I then had to race to Sainsburys to get buy an organic chicken for supper when I got a call from Anthony to say that there was a Forsters Tern in front of one of the hides. I raced back to the Reserve at high speed and as I was driving up the adjoining track to the hide I was told it flew off. Anthony and his brother and brothers friend saw it less than 30 yards away and he got a good shot of it. It didnt return. A Forsters tern would be a very rare bird for Northern Ireland in that it would have come from America.Within minutes the birding grapevine was working as more and more birders turned up to be dissapointed. I hope it will be seen again I am going to Dentist in the morning and will stop off beforehand at the reserve. Crossing my fingers.