Recent Updates From the Colony

photo by Stan Washlesky

Common Tern demanding his space back from the Black Skimmers mid-June

LEAST TERNS (LETE) – Ten Least Terns were seen on the south end and a couple were nesting in the posting.  The good news is 3 adult Least Terns were seen with their fledglings June 12th on the south end at the water’s edge!  It appeared that a fishing lesson was happening as the fledglings practiced “hovering” over the water during the high winds!

COMMON TERNS (COTE) –  Only 2 Common Terns were seen nesting in the posting on the wrack line on the inlet side the morning of July 13th.  The high tide went into the posting and appears to have washed out the other nests.  We have not seen the chick that was on the ocean side of the posting.

BLACK SKIMMERS (BLSK) – We counted 145 Black Skimmers in the posting and saw a large number of Skimmers roosting across the inlet on July 13th.  Courtship, mating and nesting continues. 

 

photo by Stan Washlesky 

photo by Stan Washlesky 

photo by Stan Washlesky 

The aerial choreography of the Black Skimmers continues to provide great entertainment.

photos by Jeff Hall

OYSTERCATCHERS (AMOY) –We enjoyed our Oystercatcher chicks while we had them.   The lone chick of CT4 and CFO was last seen on Friday afternoon, June 9th walking all over the beach with the parent CFO close by.  An observation from one of the Wrightsville Beach Bird Stewards was that he hung out too long outside the fencing after being escorted down to the water. He had no fear leaving his parents.  The Oystercatchers had just decided to take the little one back into the dunes. 

These photos were all taken Friday, June 9th 

by Camille Daniels.  

We have not seen the chick since then.