GOING BACK IN TIME….
6/24/24 Jacksonville, FL: With a number of fun family commitments approaching in July, we knew we would be busy and had to see the colony’s chicks at least one last time – they grow so fast! Brown Pelican and Least Tern youngsters shown below. One of the Least Tern juveniles had a cigarette – that teenager is going to make trouble! (While that is kind of funny, it is also a sad reminder for us to clean up our trash at the beach!)
6/24/24 Jacksonville, FL: A partly cloudy morning still allowed us to view some of the action at the colony. Sandwich Tern families (we saw at least 4 different parents with chicks) were guarding their young from the larger Royal Tern and Laughing Gull individuals racing about the beach. The Royal Tern parents often had a hard time bringing in food as the Laughing Gull gang would mob them and steal the fish. Also, Wilson’s Plover .
6/19/2024 Big Talbot SP, FL: We stopped by the pond on a beautiful afternoon and caught Roseate Spoonbill (adults, juvs.) and Black Skimmer individuals skimming and catching fish. Also: Willet, Least Tern in flight, and juvenile Reddish Egret .
6/15 to 6/16/2024 After a quick stop near Panama City and St. Mark’s NWR, FL to catch some nesting Least Terns, we traveled south along the west coast to Redington Shores where a Black Skimmer colony had been reported. We returned in the morning of 6/16, hoping for some better light, then also stopped at the Fort de Soto Park to catch any Nanday Parakeet we might see.
6/16/24 Fort de Soto Park, FL: Nanday Parakeet individuals were checking out holes in a dead palm at the park.
6/16/24 Redington Shores, FL: Back to the Black Skimmer colony again because it was so much fun to watch the activity.
6/15/24 Redington Shores, FL: Black Skimmer colony. Interesting note – the chicks were so tiny, the parent would often take back the proffered fish from the chick and spend a minute mashing it with its bill. The parent would reoffer the mushy fish to the chick and the little one was usually able to consume the meal.
6/15/24 Least Tern colony. Cars driving by on the beach really disturbed the parents who then tried to herd the chicks back to the safety of the roped colony.
6/15/2024 St. Mark’s NWR was a bit quiet and tides were high while we were there (so no shore activity). We did catch a Boat-tailed Grackle family munching down dragonflies. Also: Carolina Wren .
MOONBEAMPUBLISHING.ORG 