Least Terns Return

Last Friday, under cloudy and windy skies, my first Least Tern of the season swept through outside the office. By the end of the day there was another. On the way home yesterday I decided to swing up the road and check the ponds and spied another feeding between the creek and the larger pond it empties into. I swung back around to try for a shot. Easier than it seems. They are so fast.



Makign things worse is that the skies were still cloudy confusing the heck out of the camera while it tries to focus on a streak of gray against a wall of gray.



Last year I spotted them drinking and plucking fish from this pond and then heading off. By the end of Summer I am pretty sure I found the rooftop they were nesting on.



They are a little easier to take photos of when they hover to zero in on a fish.



But you have to be quick because before you know it they tilt and dive right out of the frame.



Then they zip along the water and make a big circle to try for the next snack. I hope to get more information this year since I know the right rooftop now. If only I can get permission to go up to verify the nests. Working on my spiel for the guard.