[texbirds] Least Tern June 13 fledglings/disaster year on UTC/roofs

From: MBB22222@xxxxxxx
To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 14:52:47 -0400 (EDT)
It was nice to see first 4-5 fledglings showing up on June 13. As one can  
see in photo one juvenile was almost freshly fledged (still with leftover of 
 natal feathers on its head) and another was little older. 
 
This spring I spent quite a lot of time on Bolivar Peninsula and also  
visited other parts of  the coast on UTC. Situation looks very bad with  LETE. 
Despite some people keep saying that there is no âso badâ I rather see  
that 
situation is very bad during last few years. Bolivar flats once a great  
place for nesting LETE now is practically empty and only on some days few LETE 
 can be seen - this small flock seems to keep just touring from one place 
to  another on the peninsula. Although my main interest now is in non 
breeding LETE  it is sad that in near future we might not have many  (if any) 
LETE 
around  here. 
 
In some places, like in Florida, nesting on roofs is not only encouraged  
but nesting LETE receive help. If I remember right one chick kept constantly  
falling down before fledged - it was brought back to the roof every time it 
 fell. There is no doubt that nesting on natural grounds is better. Problem 
is  that natural places are either shrinking or are gone (look at fast 
tempo of  development during last few years on Bolivar Peninsula). And the 
roofs 
might be  a last resort to save these birds. They will need assistance but 
look how  successful is DOW with their Black Skimmer colony that is 
âmanagedâ
 (not on roof  but plenty help is offered). Without this colony BLSK could 
be already very rare  around here (I have seen some effort to rope some 
space on Texas City Dike this  year, despite that they quite nesting year 
before, but now all poles are gone  long time ago) - also BLSK can nest on 
roofs 
as well.
 
So here are a few LETE fledglings from week ago. After they fledge they  
start to follow parents so no way to tell were they hatched or where they will 
 be the next day.
 
Parent feeding juvenile in shallow water
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/150909921
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/150909928
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/150909928
 
On the ground
 
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/150909933
 
And comparison of slightly different ages
 
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/150909962
 
A few more photos showing fledgling on the wing and shaking in  midair:
 
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/least_tern__feeding_young_in_shallow_water___utc__s
pring_2013
 
Mark B Bartosik
Houston, Texas
http://www.pbase.com/mbb/from_the_field
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[texbirds] Least Tern June 13 fledglings/disaster year on UTC/roofs

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