Dick Quinn's profile

White Fairy Terns

I took these pics of four white fairy terns on April 1, 2021. The first two pics show the chick who was the subject of yesterday's gallery, being sat upon by its parent. The next two pics are of a juvenile. The final six pics show a newly hatched chick. The new chick lives on a very narrow branch. We've decided to call her/him "Tightrope". How it's mother could hatch an egg on that tiny branch is astonishing! According to Wikipedia: "This species is notable for laying its egg on bare thin branches in a small fork or depression without a nest. ... The newly hatched chicks have well developed feet with which to hang on to their precarious nesting site. It is a long-lived bird, having been recorded living for 42 years." Gear used: Fujifilm X-T4 camera and XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens. 
We decided to name this chick "Tightrope" because she/he lives on a very narrow tree branch.
"tightrope"
White Fairy Terns
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White Fairy Terns

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