Arctic Terns

Whoo hoo! I finally got a decent photo of an Arctic Tern.

Ironically, it wasn’t taken while out birdwatching. There just happens to be a colony of them nesting right by the walkway at the Port of Invergordon. (Most people simply rushed by this marvelous sight while muttering under their breath about the noisy birds.)

When we were in Iceland, I learned that these petite birds migrate all the way to Antarctica each year!

It was easy to peek at them because they were on a raised section of land behind a fence as we walked ashore.

Most of the birds stayed behind the fence, except for one who seemingly stood guard on the outside, squawked loudly at all who passed. (You’d be squawky, too, if you nested on the ground.)

The babies were so well camouflaged that I often didn’t see them until they moved or peeped.

I enjoyed watching the parents fly over the fence, then take a sharp dive into the marina. Each bird carried a single small fish in its beak as it returned to the colony.

What a delight to see!Read more