Almost Time to Say Goodbye

We have had two weeks now of extremely few sightings of our nesting birds at the south end of Wrightsville Beach.  The birds are moving all the time and if you happen to arrive when they decided to fly across the inlet and roost on the other side it seems like the season is over ... but it is not.  Black Skimmers and Common Terns will randomly fly over the posted area, and even a solitary Least Tern on occasion.  But, they are few and far between.

These amazing photos of Black Skimmers bringing food to their fledglings were recently taken...

photo by Tom Hanna

photo by Tom Hanna

photo by Tom Hanna

photo by Tom Hanna

Willets continue to hang around and this one was seen snacking on a sand flea.

photo by Macky Miller

photo by Macky Miller

photo by Macky Miller

photo by Macky Miller

Large, impressive looking Black Backed Gulls are still hanging around the colony.

photo by Macky Miller

photo by Macky Miller

Ruddy Turnstones are also being seen in the colony.
















In addition two children from Winston-Salem who love shorebirds asked their parents to go on the bird walk this week!

photo by Macky Miller

photo by Macky Miller

Fledglings Continue to Strike Out on Their Own

 Our chicks have all began to FLEDGE (to acquire the feathers necessary for flight or independent activity; also :  to leave the nest after acquiring such feathers)

The Black Skimmers and Common Terns have been very successful teaching their fledglings how to fly and find their own food.  In addition Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns, Great Black Backed Gulls and Willets continue to visit the colony.  These photos help share recent activity in the nesting colony...

Common Tern fledgling trying its wings over a resting Black Skimmer fledgling.
photo by Bill Segur

Proud Common Tern parents cheer on a fledgling.
photo by Bill Segur

Common Tern fledgling entertaining a resting Black Skimmer
photo by Bill Segur

A Common Tern fledgling grabbing a bite from a parent.
photo by Bill Segur

Common Tern parent feeding a fledgling.
photo by Bill Segur

Royal Tern fledglings visit the colony.
photo by Bill Segur

Black Skimmers in the colony
photo by Bill Segur

Click on the link to enjoy Bill Segur's video as a very vocal Willet entertains the colony.

Willet on the beach
photo by Maxine Miller

Royal Tern fledglings visit the colony.
photo by Maxine Miller

Royal Tern fledglings visit the colony.
photo by Maxine Miller

Here are some amazing pictures of the Great Black Backed Gull hunting a Ghost Crab! Two predators of our birds going after each other. This is a very different picture from we usually see.

photo by Shelia White

photo by Shelia White

photo by Shelia White

Black Skimmers and Sandwich Tern fledglings
photo by Jackie Lindner