Life on the beach

This summer, every weekend for eight weeks, I revisited the beach in Long Island with a colony of black skimmers, common terns, and oystercatchers. I watch their chicks grow week by week (oystercatchers first, followed closely by terns, and skimmers several weeks after). It's amazing how much they grow in such a short time!

A black skimmer's mating ritual starts with the male bringing his mate a small fish as an offering.




Black skimmer chicks are quite ugly! But the distinctive bill is there from the very beginning.


"My beak itches..."


Trial run:


Black skimmers get their name from the unique way they feed. They fly low over the water, lower their lower mandible into it, and try to scoop up any fish that comes across their path:


Once they feel the fish, they dive with their whole bodies to get it:


Success!


This one was destined for the chick (3rd week):


A younger skimmer chick parades around:




Common tern chick - 3rd or 4th week:


These two young tern chicks hatches much later than their brethren. This picture was taken in August, by which time all of the other youngsters already resembled full adults.


Common tern with his dinner. Notice the white on the forehead - it's already beginning to molt into winter plumage.


Another skimmer with itchy bill.


Once in a while, all of the skimmers (but not terns!) in the colony would get up and fly around for a few circles before settling back down with their chicks.


The skimmer chick begging for food...


... and getting it:




As you can see, the colony is quite famous among wildlife photographers: