Least Terns
The first meeting
The Tern’s First Breath: A Fight for Survival and a Better Future
Under the warm wing of its parent, a tern chick huddles, its tiny body trembling with the fragility of new life. For 21 days, this precious mother has been incubating on an exposed nest, vulnerable to the elements and predators. Now, as her baby takes its first breath of fresh air, it faces the beginning of a new life's struggle on this imperiled earth.
The least tern chick's journey is a testament to the resilience of life and the power of the parental bond. The parents will fiercely protect and teach her the skills she needs to survive. But the chick will still face many challenges, from habitat loss to warming water temperatures.
We can all help to ensure that the tern chick and other seabirds have a chance to thrive. By reducing our carbon footprint, protecting their habitats, and raising awareness about the threats they face, we can help to create a brighter future for these amazing and fragile creatures.
This photo is a reminder of the beauty and fragility of life. It is also a call to action to protect our planet and the creatures that live on it.
Demanding hunger
The Chick's Hunger
The least tern chick grows fast, within 3 days they walk-out of their nests, their tiny belly always seem to rumble. They demand food from their parents with a relentless chirping, their beak opening wide in a loud plea.
The parents know their chick's hunger is a sign of life, a sign of their strength and determination. They tirelessly search for fish, bringing them back to the nest to feed their hungry offspring. The mother is proud watching her offspring run so fast and loud - determined to get the fish.
The chick can rely on their parents for now. But one very soon day it will need to be independent, it will need to learn to find it’s own food and avoid predators.
The chick's hunger is not just a sign of its physical needs. It is also a hunger for knowledge, a hunger to learn how to survive in this world.
Least Tern siblings
Learning Survival: Unity, Compassion, and Family
Survival is an intricate dance for young avians and their parents. As parents search for food, their vulnerable chicks must fend for themselves and learn the art of survival.
The fledglings discover a crucial truth in this gold-kissed sandy environment: safety lies in unity. They huddle together, their warmth and collective presence providing solace and protection. Brave siblings console the more fragile, exemplifying the power of compassion.
Their young lives revolve around a singular truth – they depend on their parents' return for sustenance and growth. Every moment apart is an eternity, every reunion a celebration of life.
In their journey of resilience and unity, these young birds inspire us to cherish the bonds that define our existence. They are a living testament to the enduring strength of family, a universal story echoing through the ages.
Growing pains
Growing Chicks Growing Challenges
As their fluffy chicks begin to outgrow their downy plumage, the devoted parents find themselves navigating a delicate balance between nurturing their young ones and securing the sustenance required for their growth.
The parents stand at the precipice of parental responsibility. They must thread the needle between the ever-increasing demands of their growing chicks and the diminishing bounty of the sea. It's a tightrope walk, a high-wire act, where the safety of their airborne hunts hangs in the balance avoiding aerial and human-made challenges.
In this unfolding drama of nature, the least terns teach us a valuable lesson about resilience and adaptability. They embody the unwavering spirit of parenthood, a testament to the incredible lengths parents will go to ensure the survival and success of their progeny. It is a story of perseverance, of the untiring commitment of these magnificent birds to the next generation, a narrative that inspires us to appreciate the challenges and triumphs of the natural world around us.
All grown and as vulnerable as ever
Now all grown and feeding themselves. This chick is part of this year’s fledglings who “made it” and is ready to now explore the world even more. This year’s fledglings will be next year’s parents. Mastering the art of survival and staying connected with their compassion and family will have them return to these same gold-kissed beaches.
Will these beaches be here? Will there be room for them or will humans continue covering the sand with concrete, built homes, and roads?
While observing this family on a daily basis over a 6 week period, my hope became for everybody “sharing” that beach to be aware of the survival happening, in the roped out small area they seemed to be oblivious. Loud noises, sand combing machinery, people taking notice and wondering why they couldn’t step into that roped-off spot in the vast shoreline. People getting angry at birds who raised a raucous when approached too close by beach balls, pets, kids, and other passers-by.
It is up to us, and in our power to ensure we continue to see these beautiful nature shows right in our backyard.
The number of nesting colonies on the Jersey shores, recorded a 30% drop between 2021 (26) and 2022 (18). They are threatened by unattended fishing lines, displaced by construction and changing shorelines, and destroyed by unseasonal and powerful storms due to warming water temperatures in the Ocean.
The more we know, the saying goes, the more we care.
This photo series is a reminder of the beauty and fragility of life. It is also a call to action to protect our planet and the creatures that live on it.
