Black Skimmers –
We have the largest colony of Black Skimmers in the State of NC this year with 184 nests and lots of chicks to show people!
Chicks are hatching, feeding, running around and being shaded by parents throughout the day. We watched one parent bird running with chicks this morning back and forth in front of the dunes. It was adorable!
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| (photo taken on phone through scope) |
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| See if you can find at least six skimmer chicks in this picture! |
The Black Skimmer chicks at the south end of Wrightsville Beach, NC entertained beach goers for hours this morning.
Least Terns – More Least Terns have appeared at the South End nesting area and we have new nests on the beach! It appears that Least Terns that were nesting on the North End of Wrightsville Beach have had their nests fail from human disturbance and the coyote that has taken residence on the North End of the island. We have various stages of nesting….birds incubating eggs, newly hatched adorable Least Tern chicks, and fledgling Least Tern chicks including some that are learning to fly! The Least Tern parents are busy incubating eggs, fishing & feeding chicks and encouraging their older chicks to try new flying skills!
We are now up to 61 nests! Nests are located on the ocean front, inlet side and the area in front of the Black Skimmers closer to the Coast Guard Station.
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| Least tern warning a Black Skimmer that is too close to the tern eggs. Look for the feet of the Skimmer chicks under the parent! |
American Oystercatchers – We have a total of three Oystercatcher pairs and there is one chick currently on the beach. The third pair with one banded CT4 is still incubating eggs in the dunes.
As you know, CKX & mate loss their chicks on June 3.
The un-banded pair with their one chick are located on the inlet side towards the Coast Guard Station and they have been bringing the chick to the water regularly. This chick will be three weeks old on Sunday, 6/16. They generally spend time by the plants close to the dune, at the water’s edge and they accompany their chick behind the dunes. The chick was seen this morning and is growing rapidly!
Common Terns – Common Terns were hatching and chicks have been spotted by stewards. Common Tern chicks are good size now and the parents have been extremely intent on protecting their chicks and have been rather aggressive with beach goers that they perceive as being too close!
We have 13 Common Tern nests with several still incubating eggs and several raising some larger chicks!
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| photo by Marlene Eader |
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| photo by Marlene Eader |
Both of these Common Tern pictures were taken through a scope using a phone!
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