Early Fall Migration in July
This is turning into a wonderful week of birdwatching at the Dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson. The heat is on, however, and sunscreen is most advised. But, all things considered, it has been a birding paradise.
Our favorite bird of the week is the Forster's Tern, a beautiful, graceful, and extremely maneuverable seabird. These birds have given us the extreme pleasure of their company during the week; a few of them were spotted in flight near a nesting colony on the Tortugas. It is indeed a sight watching these exquisite terns with their long, pointed wings, forked tail, and slender body flying over the Dry Tortugas.
About the Forester's Tern
The Forster's Tern is the only tern that is mostly restricted to North America throughout the year. Inside the breeding season, the Forster's Tern has a distinguished black cap extending to its forehead, crown, and back of the neck. Its back, shoulders, tail, and wings are a pale grey, contrasting with the white underparts and neck. The feet and legs are bright orange, and the bill is orange with a black tip. While outside of the breeding season, the Forster's Tern is without the black cap which is replaced with a white crown, forehead, and a black mask covering the ears and eyes. The legs become a dull red-brown, and the bill turns black.
When the Forster's Tern forages for its food, it will usually fly back and forth over the water with its bill aiming downwards and its feet folded against its body. This tern typically feeds on small fish, crustaceans, and arthropods. Generally, the Forster's Tern will perform direct, shallow plunge-dives, usually only submerging the front of the head and bill when catching its prey. Other times, the tern will feed by flying low and skimming just above the water, dipping just enough to snatch the prey. It will also hawk insects in the air while in flight.
Construction of the nest is done by both parents, usually positioning it close to the open water among the floating vegetation. Typically the nest is nothing more than a cup made from plant material. The Forster's Tern will lay three eggs which are incubated by both parents for about 23 to 25 days. Similar to most tern species, the Forster's Tern will ferociously protect its nest and young against any intruder. The young chicks are guarded closely and fed by the parents until about three to four weeks when they fledge, at which time, both adults and juveniles migrate from the breeding grounds to their wintering habit.
This is really a great time of the year to come out to the Dry Tortugas with all its interesting and exciting bird species that you see during the early fall migration. Do yourself a favor and make the trip.