Fenced areas on the beach protect the California Least Tern's nesting grounds, but some chicks fly the coop closer to the ocean where they are vulnerable to beach goers. I was about 7.65 meters or 25 feet away when I captured this baby chick snuggled in the sand all alone near the tracks left by the lifeguard's truck. I wish he would have stayed put!

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California Least Tern
(Sterna antillarum browni)
Endangered

Member of the Nature’s Spirit
Good Stewards of Nature

© 2011 Patricia Ware - All Rights Reserved

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Elegant Tern
Sterna elegans

Member of the Nature’s Spirit
Good Stewards of Nature

© 2011 Patricia Ware - All Rights Reserved

Tags:   Sterna elegans Elegant Tern California Huntington Beach Bolsa Chica Canon Handheld © Patricia Ware © all rights reserved AvianExcellence NGC bestofblinkwinners FlickrDiamond SpecAnimal ABigFave AnAwesomeShot blinksuperstars

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After an amazing dive, plunging into the water, the Elegant Tern flies out. Then a couple of seconds later, it shakes its head and twists its body to rid the water from its feathers. It happens so fast, you almost can't see what its doing!

(A very tight crop.)


Elegant Tern
(Sterna elegans)

Member of the Nature’s Spirit
Good Stewards of Nature

© 2011 Patricia Ware - All Rights Reserved

Tags:   Sterna elegans Elegant Tern California Huntington Beach Bolsa Chica Canon Handheld © Patricia Ware © all rights reserved NGC bestofblinkwinners NPC SpecAnimal blinksuperstars

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This Caspian Tern was searching for fish overhead as we rowed our dory in the Back Bay at Newport Beach. It's so gorgeous in flight.


Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia

Member of the Nature’s Spirit
Good Stewards of Nature

© 2011 Patricia Ware - All Rights Reserved

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I love watching Terns dive for fish. They are so unbelievably fast when they dive that the fish don't see them when the plunge into the water!

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Elegant Tern
(Sterna elegans)

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Member of the Flickr Bird Brigade

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