oystercatcher chicks make their maiden voyage to the water's edge

(taken May 30, 2013)

Other Memorial Day weekend photos

I watched a pair of least terns challenge (successfully) a ghost crab that was looking to steal an egg.

a least tern with a fish offering and a haughty rejection!

our tireless leader....

least tern, oystercatcher, and black skimmer at water's edge

and (even though we are on the beach to protect the nesting birds and share our excitement with those nearby) there are going to be countless other "aha" moments throughout the summer, such as....

dolphins

and magnificent sunsets

Oystercatcher Chicks Hatch on Memorial Day Weekend

The most exciting news was the hatching of three oystercatcher chicks. They are visible using the scope or binoculars but the lens on my camera is limited. Still I am posting some blurry oystercatcher family portraits to give you a small sample of why we are so excited!

Welcome Wrightsville Beach Bird Stewards

My name is Kathy Hannah. I have been watching the nesting birds on Wrightsville Beach since the summer of 2011 and am excited to be one of the Bird Stewards this year. I have created a small photobook for Marlene to use with her younger observers since some of them have trouble using the spotting scope.  I will be happy to make a photobook for anyone else who is interested.  My cost for printing photos and the photobook is $5.00.  Let Marlene (or me at klh6@aol.com) know if you are interested.  I am posting some pictures from the original photobook below. In addition I will continue to add new photos to this blog throughout the nesting season. You can copy any new photos and and add them to your book if you would like.

If anyone else has photos they would like to share, email them to me and I will post them on this blog (with credit given to the photographer!).

Also please tell me when I make identification or editing mistakes!

Least terns and chicks from previous years....

This is a willet... they are also nesting nearby.

oystercatcher

crow with a stolen egg

ghost crabs also steal eggs

 Royal tern on the left and a sandwich tern on the right.... note the different colored bills

our banded, antenna carrying oystercatcher...look closely for the antenna on the back

Common tern on the left and least tern on the right...size and bill difference

more least tern chicks from previous years

 an example of nesting birds in flight, often reacting to some "fear or predator"

black skimmer chicks from previous years