Nesting, Incubating, Courtship and HATCHING … All Happening Now!

photo by Tom Hanna

LEAST TERNS

Lindsay Addison, our NC Audubon Coastal Biologist was on the beach May 13 and confirmed that about 60 Least Tern nests were lost this week.  There were 84 before the nor’easter and only 23 afterwards.  Lindsay thinks the storm and possibly the Ruddy Turnstones were the most likely reason.  The Ruddy Turnstones should be migrating soon so hopefully they will not remain an issue to both the Least Terns and Black Skimmers. 

The Ruddy Turnstones look for opportunities for the nesting birds to be disturbed and off their nests and then peck the eggs open.  We have seen a number of the Ruddy Turnstones walking through the colony and also eating eggs.

photo by Joseph Daniels

photo by Joseph Daniels

photo by Joseph Daniels

And to prove that rain and some hungry Ruddy Turnstones will not deter the birds here is a photograph that Lindsay took on Friday, May 13 of our first evidence of a Least Tern chick.  She estimates this chick to be 2-3 days old.

photo by Lindsay Addison

COMMON TERNS

We have at least 5 nests, with additional pairs courting, and the Common Terns are being very attentive and continue the couple bonding with feeding behaviors while incubating.  The Common Terns are becoming very protective and aggressive to protect their eggs if beachgoers are too close to the posting.   The Ruddy Turnstones may also have disturbed some of their nests as evidenced by his Common Tern egg that had clearly been predated... perhaps by a gull.

photo by Joseph Daniels

 

Common Tern aggression often
 includes being attacked from above!
photo by Tom Hanna

Ruddy Turnstone
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruddy_Turnstone/lifehistory#

BLACK SKIMMERS

Black Skimmers are the last species to start nesting at the colony. Last Saturday (5/7) there were 15-20 that had initiated nests, but they also are the least apt at protecting their nests from the Ruddy Turnstones. Some nests remain and the majority of the pairs are still courting and scraping (making the depressions where they lay their eggs). Look for continued nest initiation throughout May.

After three years of our banding program, we are seeing more and more banded skimmers returning to the colony.  Use binoculars to scan their lower legs but always remember to stay back from the string and make sure you are not causing the birds to be nervous. Even stepping off a nest briefly could result in a Ruddy Turnstone pecking an egg!

photo by Joseph Daniels

AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS

Incubation continues by the oystercatchers and Lindsay confirmed the two nests are still nicely hidden within the dunes as of May 13.  We expect the hatching of chicks around Memorial Weekend. 

Martin West, one of our new WBBS, captured a photo of Royal Terns in courtship display and fish presentation on May 13 and one of the Royal Terns had a white “field readable” band on its right leg.  Marlene reported the band to reportband.gov and learned the Royal Tern was banded as a chick in 2018 in Hampton, Virginia.  Very cool!