The Nesting Colony Keeps Growing

This amazing nesting season just keeps going and going.  Usually by the end of July most of the chicks are already flying and learning to feed themselves.  But new chicks are still appearing this year.  This morning (7/28) a new Common Tern chick made an appearance after we had been watching the parents sitting for several weeks on a nest near the Coast Guard station.  The parents quickly led the new chick into the shade and created a shallow "nest" to keep it safe.

New Common Tern chick video
(click the link above to view on YouTube)

In other news we banded the other American Oystercatcher chick on 7/24.  Look for a young Oystercatcher with band EF8 when you are at the south end of Wrightsville Beach.

AND the Least Terns and Black Skimmers continue to entertain us.  

A “SURPRISE” UPDATE ON OUR BIRDS

OYSTERCATCHERS

CT4 made an entrance onto the beach with her chick on Friday (July 19) and it is a BIG one!  CT4 and mate have carefully guarded the chick in the dunes on the Oceanside and it had only made one appearance on a Thursday morning, June 20^th   We had not seen it since. 

An Oystercatcher adult was seen flying in over the dunes from the west with food a couple of weeks ago and we were hopeful that they were feeding a chick.  They were feeding a chick!  The chick is at least 4 weeks old and is already trying out its wings and was taking short flying hops over the weekend within the colony.  The chick is large –close to adult size—but the behaviors are clearly chick like!  He continues to try to get under one of his parents and appears very shy.  This oystercatcher chick even went (squeezed) into one of the “shade shelters” Friday afternoon which is the first time we have seen an oystercatcher do that!   

photos by Bonnie-Jean Berg

Our other Oystercatcher family’s chick “EER” was 8 weeks old on Sunday (7/21) and has been practicing flying with its parents.  It appears to fly towards the oyster beds or the razor clam area with a parent at low tide.  It was outside of the posting with both parents this morning and the entire family was easily seen by our bird walk guests.

BLACK SKIMMERS

Juvenile Black Skimmers are hanging out at the water with adults and many have been practicing their flight skills and are beginning to skim the water. 

photos by Tom Hanna

photos by Tom Hanna

It is always a thrill to watch the adult Black Skimmers escorting their fledgling chicks to the water. 

photos by Bonnie-Jean Berg

photos by Cordelia Norris 

photos by Cordelia Norris

photos by Cordelia Norris

You will notice that all of the Black Skimmers can fly and move on the beach if a beach walker is close to them.  Fledglings and juveniles are motivated to practice their flight skills at these times and adults seem to use this interruption to check on a mate in the nesting colony on the hot sand.

Black Skimmers closer to the dunes have some newly hatched chicks.  Zoom in on the dunes for smaller chicks!!

photos by Bonnie-Jean Berg

LEAST TERNS

Least tern fledglings and chicks are everywhere and at various stages of development!  Many are outside the posting waiting for parents to return with a fish and/or cooling by the water.  A number of chicks can be seen standing in the shade made by the posting.

photo by Tom Hanna

COMMON TERNS

Beautiful Common Tern fledglings can be seen by the water with a parent close by. 

Several Common Tern pairs are continuing to nest with a mate on guard duty on top of a sign.  On Saturday, I observed a Common Tern come in from the water with a fish, feed its mate, nudge the mate with its head and take over nesting sitting...the mate immediately went to the water and dipped itself into the waves at least 10 times and even floated on the water!  It was hot!

photos by Tom Hanna

photo by Tom Hanna

FREE MONDAY BIRD WALKS

We had another well attended bird walk Monday (7/22) morning with over 32 guests!  The recent publicity that we are receiving is making both residents and tourists anxious to see the South End nesting colony!  What a joy it is to introduce these birds to people and relay the inspiring way they migrate here, choose to nest here and then parent and teach their young.  

photos by Tom Hanna

photos by Tom Hanna

UPDATE ON OUR BIRDS

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.

A Photograph Speaks Volumes

Many talented photographers visit the nesting colony each day.  These photographs share some moments of what is happening at the south end of Wrightsville Beach. 

“ To photograph is to hold one’s breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It’s at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy.” 

                        ~Henri Cartier-Bresson

Photographs by Scott Mullens

“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”
                                       Ansel Adams

Photographs by Tom Hanna

"I thank You God for most this amazing day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky; and for which is natural which is infinite  is yes ."

                                     e.e. cummings

Photographs by Bill Segur

It Just Keeps Getting Better!

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.  

Bold chicks are leaving the posting and heading to the water on their own. If you see a chick heading for the water on its own, allow it to get to the water to cool off and get a drink.  It would only make that move if it is critical.  Watch for the chicks and enjoy! 

CHICKS ARE OUTSIDE OF THE POSTING!!!

IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE AWARE THAT CHICKS ARE OUTSIDE OF THE FENCED AREA AND WE ALL NEED TO WATCH OUR STEP.  THE CHICKS HIDE IN FOOTPRINTS AND THE TIRE TRACKS. 

These pictures were taken on the beach this week.  All of these chicks are very much alive.  They freeze when they are scared and then can't be seen.  If you see this just carefully go up to the chick and gently touch it.  That should cause the chicks to run back into the posting.

Least Terns –We have various stages of nesting….birds incubating eggs, newly hatched adorable Least Tern chicks, and we counted 18 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!   

Look how the Least Tern chicks are camouflaged in the sand. 
AND notice how chicks from the same parent can have different coloring! 

We still have 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. 

American Oystercatchers – We have a total of three Oystercatcher pairs and have one chick currently on the beach.  The third pair with one banded CT4 made a brief appearance with a new chick on Thursday early morning (6/20) but we have not seen it since. 

photo by Tom Hanna

photo by Tom Hanna

As you know, CKX & mate loss their chicks on June 3. This pair has left the south end.

The un-banded pair with their one chick have been bringing the chick to the water regularly and feeding at low tide.  We watched this chick get fed by both parents over 8 times the other day during falling and low tide.  This chick is now 4 weeks old as of Sunday, 6/23.  The parents generally spend time by the plants close to the dune, at the water’s edge and they accompany their chick behind the dunes.  

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 beachgoers that they perceive as being too close!

We have 13 Common Tern nests with several still incubating eggs and several raising some sizeable chicks!

Our free weekly Monday morning Bird Walks have been well attended.  There is so much to see and we love sharing the action with everyone who can attend!