Black Skimmer Chicks

We have  Black Skimmer chicks that can be seen from outside the posting!  

Look carefully in the top picture and find the Black Skimmer chick camouflaged inside the posting.

photos by Jeff Hall

photos by Jeff Hall

While our NC Audubon biologist Lindsay Addison was on the beach last week she noticed that four Black Skimmers cooling by the water had metal leg bands.  She was able to use her scope to read the silver engraved numbers, recorded the numbers and looked up the specific band numbers on the national bird band database.  GOOD NEWS: The Skimmers were banded as chicks at our south end nesting colony on Wrightsville Beach in 2013, 2014 and 2015!!!  They are our birds and have returned to our beach to nest!!! 

We currently have approximately 160 nesting pairs = at least 320 Black Skimmers at the South End.

photos by Jeff Hall

Oystercatcher Chick Update

We have not seen the American Oystercatcher chick on the beach or being fed by parents for over 48 hours. The parents have been seen on the beach alone and we are uncertain about what happened to the chick. According to the American Oystercatcher Working Group, most chick mortality takes place in the first two weeks of life and generally just prior to fledging (flying). The most frequent causes of death for chicks in North Carolina include exposure, mammalian and avian predation, ghost crabs and human disturbance.

We are pleased to have been able to share our first chick in three years with many beach goers and we're disappointed in this result. 

But we remain optimistic about this challenging nesting season and look forward to Black Skimmer and Common Tern chicks soon.

One of our WB Bird Stewards, Bonnie-Jeanne Berg, not only expressed what many of us are feeling but took some (now cherished) photos of the chick.

" I referred the chick to my Saturday morning beach-goers as our "Golden Child".... and what a show we had from the family... hope you enjoy .... and I am looking forward to our next babies... the show must go on.... and how thankful we will be!"

look closely to see the chick's legs under the mom
photo by Bonnie-Jeanne Berg

photo by Bonnie-Jeanne Berg

photo by Bonnie-Jeanne Berg

photo by Bonnie-Jeanne Berg

photo by Bonnie-Jeanne Berg

photo by Bonnie-Jeanne Berg

photo by Bonnie-Jeanne Berg

photo by Bonnie-Jeanne Berg

photo by Bonnie-Jeanne Berg

American Oystercatcher Chick

photo by Tom Hanna

This little chick is the first American Oystercatcher chick seen on South Wrightsville Beach since 2015!! 

The young chick was able to stand upright and run short distances within hours of hatching. Chicks will escape predators by hiding, particularly in the first 10 days.  A chick responds to parent alarm calls by running for cover, then lying immobile. 

The oystercatcher banded with CKX is the female, the momma of our chick!

Within 1–2 days of hatching, we watched the parent and chick head towards the water.

On the way to the beach!

Chick enjoying the water!
photos by Bonnie-Jeanne Berg

Our chick is fed bivalves, mollusks, crustaceans, worms and other marine invertebrates that inhabit intertidal areas. Chicks are dependent on adults for food for at least 60 days after hatching.

photos by Tom Hanna

And in other news.....

We recently discovered Black Skimmer and Common Tern nests (with eggs) on the beach outside of our posted area. So the postings have been moved and there is a lot of activity to watch on the beach!

Posting being moved so that nests are protected.

Activity within in the newly posted area.

The Wrightsville Beach Black Skimmer colony appears to be the largest in the state of North Carolina this year! Upwards of 200 can regularly be seen at the water's edge or flying overhead.

photos by Tom Hanna

photos by Tom Hanna

and finally.... here is a short video of the new chick for you to enjoy!

American Oystercatcher Chick On the Beach

click on link to view in YouTube