Terns Return

Back in September, 2008 I mentioned Least Terns on this blog. They are an endangered species of tiny terns that make their home on beaches. We had a colony of about 100 of these darling little birds on the beach and I enjoyed their antics, raucous calls, playful spirit and of course their precious faces with a white triangle on the forehead. When they migrated away I missed seeing them and wondered if they would return. I'm happy to say that yes, they are back!

Last week I saw three of them about a half mile north of where they were last year. Yesterday I saw five... today I counted 14! So small and slender and just so cute you can imagine why they almost became extinct when in the 1930s women would wear these precious birds adorning their hats! The pair in the photo above was definitely courting. Chatting to each other, walking around in circles, sidling up to each other in preparation for the tiny nest they will scoop out of the sand. There they will both care of the one to two young. 

Ah-h-h life goes on.