Least Tern
John Ennis photographed these Least Terns on 1–2 July 2011 at Masonboro Inlet, Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. John has additional photos on Facebook.
Least Tern nestlings; their egg teeth are still intact
Least Tern – This mom has a problem...one egg still to hatch and a rambunctious chick. I watched her stuff the chick under her wing several times, only to have it pop back out again
Least Tern – Every time an adult with a minnow flew in, it was mobbed by the little ones
Least Tern – This guy is running at full speed and making a lot of noise to get the attention of an adult that just flew in with a minnow
Least Tern – One of a series of photos showing the juvenile swallowing a whole fish