OYSTERCATCHERS….Our chick was 6 weeks old on Sunday (7/7) and is banded EER. On Sunday 7/7, we saw it take its first short flight, with its parent, landing right in the middle of the Least Terns by the inlet. The Least Terns were not happy and that little Oystercatcher chick went running out of there while being dive-bombed by the Least Terns.
On Monday (7/8) we found evidence of a Razor Clam being opened and fed to the chick. Watch for a parent coming in with a whole clam during low tide and opening it for the chick.
We have not seen CT4’s chick but have seen one of the parents bringing food from the Coast Guard station direction of the inlet over into the dunes. A very positive sign!
BLACK SKIMMERS
We counted 42 Black Skimmer fledglings on Saturday 7/6. Give it a try and see if you get a bigger number! In addition, we counted 458 adult Black Skimmers.
Our team of biologists banded 25 skimmer chicks prior to the rain on Monday night (7/8). They are banded with one metal band and a black field readable band.
Black Skimmers still are incubating eggs and we have some newly hatched chicks. Zoom in on the dunes for downy chicks!!
LEAST TERNS
We want to challenge you to count Least Tern fledglings so we can get a “high count”. We realize that these fledglings will be coming and going….moving around the colony…some practicing flying skills, etc. so numbers will vary. We just like to see what the highest number is. Count chicks with smooth feathers!
So far the high count is 48 Least Tern fledglings!
COMMON TERNS
We counted 5 beautiful Common Tern fledglings generally by the water with a parent close by.
We have another nest in front of the dune on the beach close to the Oystercatcher family.
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