Love Is In the Air (and on the beach)!

Every day seems to bring a new sign of a very successful nesting season at the south end of Wrightsville Beach. Birds have been arriving all week and we have much more activity at the nesting area now. 

Black Skimmers have been arriving daily. One of our Bird Stewards was at the beach April 30 and counted 276 Black Skimmers!   Skimmers are coupling up and we witnessed several mating!

photo by Krystyna Ochola

photo by Laura Scullin

photo by Laura Scullin

photo by Laura Scullin

photo by Laura Scullin

Common Terns have also arrived.  We have seen four pairs of Common Terns over the weekend in the front small dunes.

photo by Don Ellson

photo by Don Ellson

photo by Don Ellson

Least Terns are numerous with well over 200 seen in the air at one time.  It appears that we have several nests (scrapes with eggs) on the ground that are being cared for by parents. And there is a lot of courting activity as we watch the male least terns offer a fish to potential mates.

photo by Laura Scullin

We have 2 pairs of American Oystercatchers as well as some immature Oystercatchers at the colony.  We have one nest. 

photo by Krystyna Ochola

photo by Laura Scullin

photo by Laura Scullin

This Willet seems to be standing guard over the colony from one of the posting signs.

photo by Krystyna Ochola

Meanwhile I am determined to learn to take photos this summer using my scope and iPhone.  Here is my practice shot taken during this morning's Bird Walk.  It seems to be a steep learning curve for me!

Photo by Kathy Hannah

  

First Bird Walk a SUCCESS!

Our first weekly bird walk was held Monday, April 25. There were 16 eager participants who were excited to learn more about our nesting colony at the south end of Wrightsville Beach. Happily the weather and our birds cooperated!  There was plenty of action and least terns, common terns, black skimmers, oystercatchers, and willets were all present and accounted for.

One of our guests was Bradley Hoffman, a 14 year old boy visiting from New York. Here are some amazing photographs he took of our cast of characters....

American Oystercatchers

 Common Terns

Least Terns 

(Least Tern Decoys)

Willets

Black Skimmers

Hope you can join us for a Monday Bird Walk soon!

Ever wonder what a "bird steward" does?

Audubon video about the Wrightsville Beach Bird Steward program
                                  (Click on link above to view video.)

Black Skimmers

Here are two photos of Black Skimmers taken this morning (4/23) by Mary Ann Walton. Each tells its own story. We seem to have an active group of Black Skimmers in the nesting area and they appear to be busy catching fish in the inlet.  Thanks for the pictures, Mary Ann!

Black Skimmer Party on the Beach!

Look at the Black Skimmer "beach club" population seen this morning (April 20).  Compare this with the 20 pioneers found on Monday.  We estimate about 80-100 now and this may not be the whole community! Hoping this is a sign of great things to come this summer. 

Another reason not to miss Monday's Bird Walk!

Photo by Don Ellson 

Skimmers, Least Terns, and Oystercatchers are arriving!

When one of our WB Bird Stewards was on the beach this morning (April 18), he was surprised by how many birds are already there.  Besides the previously observed Least Terns and Oystercatchers about 20 Black Skimmers were in the posting area.  The Skimmers were seen by the water but may be nesting out of sight behind the first row of dunes.  In addition several Royal Terns made an appearance.

Thanks to Don Ellson for sharing these photos!

 Our first "official" Bird Walk is Monday, April 25th. Hope you can join us!  

A New Nesting Season Begins (April 3, 2016)

Last weekend an excited, enthusiastic, energetic group of Wrightsville Beach Bird Stewards eagerly set out to put up the postings for the 2016 nesting season at the south end of Wrightsville Beach.

While we were out on the beach both a Common Loon and a Red-throated Loon watched us in the nearby surf.  Not sure how long they will hang around but it was fun watching them.

AND, although it is early in the season... we saw several American Oystercatchers and a pair of courting Least Terns on the beach.