Ft D: A Top 25 Birding Spot in the US

11-3-16: Tern, Terns, and More Terns

Royal Terns

These terns make their nest scrape on the ground on

low-lying islands.  The pair often defecates directly on the nest rim, probably to reinforce the nest against flooding rains.

After a few weeks, especially in the sun, the nest rim hardens.

A coastal bird

Feed me!

A youngster begging a parent for food.  A pair of Royal terns will feed only their own chick, and manage to find it in a crowd by recognizing its call.

Forster's Tern in the foreground

Forster's Terns are the only tern species restricted almost entirely to North America throughout the year.



Love the feather patterns on immature gulls

Mixed feeding flock

A Snowy Egret,  several White Ibises, and a Willet "bobbing for apples."


The Snowy Egret with White Ibises and two Willets

Two Osprey watching us watch them from their nest disc.

Royal Tern

"I see you over there!"


Adult Sandwich Tern

Its bill looks like it was dipped into a mustard jar.



Sandwich Tern with breakfast for this year's chick

Coming on to the beach where its hungry youngster  awaits.

The chick is calling frantically

"It's about time you got here with my breakfast, Mom!"


Remarkably tolerant of people on its beach.

 Beach chairs and umbrellas don't seem to be an issue for them.

Black Skimmers

When they rest they sometimes look dead

The Black Skimmer is the only American representative of the skimmer family.  The other two, rather similar species are the African Skimmer and the Indian Skimmer.

One of two birds whose lower bill is longer than the upper.