Challenges to a successful nesting colony on the South End of Wrightsville Beach continue, but our Black Skimmers and Common Terns continue to make scrapes, lay eggs and are not giving up! We remain hopeful!
The Black Skimmers seem to enjoy posing for pictures...
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| photo by Michelle Frazier |
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| photo by Michelle Frazier |
Lindsay Addison, Coastal Biologist for Audubon NC, conducted a nest check very early Tuesday morning (6/5) and here are the latest results…
The Common Terns continue to lose nests to avian predation (probably crows) but we now have 4 active Common Tern nests. We have between 5 to 7 pairs of Common Terns at the colony. Our most visible Common Tern nest is on the top of the dune right in the middle of the sandy opening at the inlet as you look into the posting from the string.
We expect chicks very soon from the first nest recorded. This particular nest is on the sandy vegetated dune on the left among the Black Skimmer nesting area -- looking into the posting from that same spot!
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| photos by Jackson Travis |
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| photo by Michelle Frazier |
Our three American Oystercatcher nests that were right around hatching appear to have failed….but Lindsay found one new nest! We have seen 5-6 Oystercatchers hanging out on the beach by the inlet.
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| photos by Tom Hanna |
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| photos by Kevin Giannini |
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| photos by Jackson Travis |
The 12 Black Skimmer nests that Lindsay marked last week to monitor productivity have had severe damage…Likely from disturbance. The skimmers lost half the nests that were marked on her nest check last week which is an unusually high percentage. Lindsay counted seven predated eggs, all probably crows because they have holes pecked in them, and 11 abandoned eggs from 9 or 10 nests. Some of the marked nests are just empty with no eggs in sight.
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| photos by Kevin Giannini |
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| photos by Jackson Travis |
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| photos by Jackson Travis |
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| photos by Leigh Gill |
THE GOOD NEWS! The Black Skimmers are not giving up as we now have approximately 30 active nests and the Black Skimmers are still scraping and laying eggs. Six pairs of Black Skimmers have appeared on Masonboro Island this week… likely from the south end.
On Monday morning, 6/4, Willet chicks were seen strolling along the beach with a parent.
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| photos by Kevin Giannini |
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| photos by Jackson Travis |
A special thanks to the fifth grade classes at Wrightsville Beach Elementary School for designing the pictures on our postings! They enjoyed coming to the beach to see how their signs help protect the colony. Our shore birds gave them a warm welcome!
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| photos by Michelle Frazier |
It must be a tiring day. This sharing is nice as it is in every share. I wish you success in your next share.
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