Terns With Crowns

My love affair with shorebirds continues!

Royal tern, Midland Beach, Staten Island, November 2

A group of royal terns (Thalasseus maximus) is called a "highness." That seems appropriate for birds with crowns! I had a chance to watch two highnesses of royal terns on October 31 and November 2, 2017, at Midland Beach on Staten Island.  I also saw a single royal tern at Broad Channel American Park in Queens on October 17, 2017. You can compare the royal terns with the common terns and Forster's terns on the Cornell site. The royal terns are the second largest of the terns (after the Caspian tern), and have distinctive black crests and orange bills.

Royal tern, Midland Beach, October 31

Royal terns on Midland Beach, November 2

What was particularly fun to watch, as you'll see in the Filming the Feathers video, was the young royal terns persistently discussing world affairs with other terns (actually, it was probably a demand for food from a parent). The young bird would follow the older bird around, chirping and complaining. The older bird most often looked as if she wanted nothing to do with the conversation. (Males and female look the same.) At one point (around minute 7 in the video), you can see one insistent youngster slipping, falling, and getting up without a break and continuing the conversation. I used music by Henry Purcell arranged for recorders and performed by Papalin. But I've also left in the sound of the wind, the waves and the loud conversations.

This group of photos was pulled from the video. The photos show flight and displaying behavior.

This group of photo features photos from October 31 and November 2. More photos can be found on the Royal Terns page.

Night Lights

I spent the evening of November 15 at Columbus Circle with two photographer friends (Dennis Newsham and Melody Andres) playing with time-lapse photography and the moving lights around Columbus Circle. Hope you enjoy some of the results.

Fairies dancing at Columbus Circle, Nov. 15, 2017

On the Beach With Black Skimmers

I saw my first black skimmers (Rynchops niger) on October 31 at the beach at Wolfe's Pond on Staten Island. I was mesmerized, and was able to watch them again on November 4. The longer lower bill is fascinating, as the birds use it while skimming the water to pull up small fish.

Black skimmer, the beach at Wolfe's Pond, Staten Island, November 4, 2017

Black skimmers, October 31, 2017. Note the bands on two of the birds.

The first Filming the Feathers video is very short, featuring the shorebirds on October 31. The second video, from November 4, is more extensive, with more time spent with these birds flying, skimming and resting on the beach. I was particularly taken with how much these birds seem to enjoy the company of other skimmers, and how their flight is so synchronized.

These photos of the skimmers in flight were pulled from the October 31 video.

These photos were taken October 31 and November 4.