Least Tern
Sternula antillarum
Least Terns are the smallest of all North American terns. They prefer to nest on sandy beaches along bays, lagoons or freshwater wetlands and waterways. Because homosapiens lust after their nesting habitat for recreation, they have suffered a population crash. Though at some locations the populations seem stable, between 1966 and 2015, their overall numbers dropped by 88%.
The California Least Tern (S.a. browni) was listed as an endangered species in 1972 with a population of about 600 pairs. While numbers have gradually increased with its protected status, it is still vulnerable to predators, natural disasters, and further disturbance by humans.
Today, science recognises three subspecies of Least Tern:
- S.a. browni breeds in California to Baja California and western Mexico. They spend winters mostly along the western and southern Mexican coast.
- S. a. athalassos breeds in the interior USA, from the northern Great Plains to Texas and Louisiana. They spend winters in northern Brazil.
- S. a. antillarum breeds on the Atlantic coast of the USA from Maine, south to Texas, and Honduras through Caribbean to northern Venezuela. They spend winters in northern Brazil.
We do not consider the Atlantic group threatened, but the interior population is. We believe loss of habitat from dams and changes to river systems to be the cause.
Until my second expedition to south Texas in 2021, all my meetings with this species occurred in San Diego. My most intimate encounters were while I accompanied biologists during their studies of birds nesting in San Diego’s South Bay. In Texas, only a few days before my departure in May-2021, I found Least Terns on South Padre Island. I returned to Texas in the fall of 2022, and in late August I met them again.
48 Photos
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Concerned parent at the Tijuana River Estuary. Near extreme South West San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:06:11 11:13 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: JCD3845.LeastTern |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:06:08 11:45 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2500 |
File Name: Cut_JCD9627-LeastTern |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Nest at the Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:27 9:04 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 |
File Name: JCD9680.LeastTern.Egg_ |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:06:08 11:45 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2500 |
File Name: JCD9627-LeastTern |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: The hand off. Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:06:08 11:41 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD9584-LeastTern |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: California Least Terns struggle to survive many perils despite the measures to protect them. Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:06:08 11:41 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1600 |
File Name: JCD9571-LeastTern |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Nest at the Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:20 9:10 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: JCD8799.LeastTern.Egg_ |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Nest at the Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:20 9:06 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: JCD8797.LeastTern.Egg_ |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Looking for its hungry chick at the Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:17 8:32 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD8091.LeastTern |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Concerned parent at the Tijuana River Estuary. Near extreme South West San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:06:11 13:43 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD3944.LeastTern |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Concerned parents protesting our presence at the Tijuana River Estuary. Near extreme South West San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:06:11 11:16 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1500 |
File Name: JCD3868.LeastTern |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
|
Description: Concerned parent at the Tijuana River Estuary. Near extreme South West San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:06:11 11:16 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD3861.LeastTern |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertibrate Zoology in Camarillo, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:02 13:23 |
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Location:
W F V Z |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/11.0, 1/1 |
File Name: D3X4743-LeastTern |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Just banded! Tijuana River Estuary. Near extreme South West San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:06:11 11:02 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD3819.LeastTern.Chick_ |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Science in action. If possible, all Least Tern chicks are weighed, measured and banded. Tijuana River Estuary. Near extreme South West San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:06:11 10:00 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1500 |
File Name: JCD3783.LeastTern.Chick_ |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: On the nest, rearranging its eggs. Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:06:03 13:00 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: JCD3375.LeastTern.Nest_ |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Juvenile at the beach near the Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2011:07:07 10:34 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: JCD1072-LeastTern-Fledgling |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Juvenile at the beach near the Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2011:07:07 10:12 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: JCD1016-LeastTern-Fledgling |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Science in action. Tijuana River Estuary. Near extreme South West San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:06:11 10:50 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 24 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD0889.LeastTern.Nest_ |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Foraging at the Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2011:07:07 9:17 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: JCD0780-LeastTern |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Juvenile at the beach near the Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2011:07:07 9:01 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: JCD0647-LeastTern-Fledgling |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Juvenile at the beach near the Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2011:07:07 9:00 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: JCD0632-LeastTern-Fledgling |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:06:03 9:00 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD0315.LeastTern |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: The Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:05:18 8:08 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Regional Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: D3X7500-LeastTern |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: On the nest, Least Terns spend a lot of time looking for preditors (there are many). Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:06:03 12:59 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1500 |
File Name: JCD3364.LeastTern.Nest_ |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Juvenile at the beach near the Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2011:07:07 8:56 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/6400 |
File Name: JCD0606-LeastTern-Fledgling |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Juvenile at the beach near the Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2011:07:07 10:21 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: JCD1038-LeastTern-Fledgling |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Viewed from the edge of the marshes at South San Diego Bay near 7th Street in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:15 7:38 |
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Location:
7th Street Overlook |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: LeastTern_D5X1073 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Only hours old at a protected nesting site on the beach at Border Field, south of Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:01 11:34 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: LeastTern_D5X4772-Chick-Nest |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Protected nesting sites on the beach at Border Field, south of Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:01 11:15 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: LeastTern_D5X4487 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Parent keeping watch on protected nesting sites on the beach at Border Field, south of Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:01 11:38 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: LeastTern_D5X4802 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Eggs in 'nest' at a protected nesting site on the beach at Border Field, south of Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:01 9:09 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: LeastTern_D5X4392-Eggs-Nest |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Juvenile at the beach by Border Field and the Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:08:02 10:08 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/6400 |
File Name: D3X1022-LeastTern-Juvenile |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Eggs in 'nest' at a protected nesting site on the beach at Border Field, south of Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:01 11:36 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: LeastTern_D5X4785-Eggs-Nest |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Eggs in 'nest' at a protected nesting site on the beach at Border Field, south of Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:01 11:36 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: LeastTern_D5X4780-Eggs-Nest |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Nest in the Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:20 9:10 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: JCD8799.LeastTern.Egg_-1 |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: I regret I didn’t get better pictures of Least Terns in Texas. In California these birds are endangered. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:24 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: LeastTern_D5X7467_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Driving south from Port Aransas, I stopped to investigate a beach access road, and enjoyed meeting terns and shorebirds. |
Date Taken: 2022:08:21 13:51 |
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Location:
Mustang Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: LeastTern_8506183-MustangBeach |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Driving south from Port Aransas, I stopped to investigate a beach access road, and enjoyed meeting terns and shorebirds. |
Date Taken: 2022:08:21 13:53 |
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Location:
Mustang Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: LeastTern_8506213-MustangBeach |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Driving south from Port Aransas, I stopped to investigate a beach access road, and enjoyed meeting terns and shorebirds. |
Date Taken: 2022:08:21 13:56 |
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Location:
Mustang Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: LeastTern_8506227-MustangBeach |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Driving south from Port Aransas, I stopped to investigate a beach access road, and enjoyed meeting terns and shorebirds. |
Date Taken: 2022:08:21 13:57 |
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Location:
Mustang Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: LeastTern_8506246-MustangBeach |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Driving south from Port Aransas, I stopped to investigate a beach access road, and enjoyed meeting terns and shorebirds. |
Date Taken: 2022:08:21 14:00 |
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Location:
Mustang Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: LeastTern_8506271-MustangBeach |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Surveying protected nesting sites on the beach at Border Field, south of Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:01 12:16 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BiologistsAtWork_D5X5004-LeastTern-Banding |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Protected nesting sites on the beach at Border Field, south of Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:01 11:31 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: LeastTern_D5X4738 |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Eggs in 'nest' at a protected nesting site on the beach at Border Field, south of Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:01 11:20 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: LeastTern_D5X4517-Eggs-Nest |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: Eggs in "nest" at a protected nesting site on the beach at Border Field, south of Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:01 9:16 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: LeastTern_D5X4407-Eggs-Nest |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
|
Description: Surveying protected nesting sites on the beach at Border Field, south of Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:06:01 11:43 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BiologistsAtWork_D5X4857-LeastTern-Banding |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Least Tern(Sternula antillarum) |
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Description: I met three species of tern at the South Padre Island Convention Centre during my 2024 visit. Least Terns were one. Royal Terns and Sandwich Terns were the other two. If you count skimmers as terns (I do), there were four. |
Date Taken: 2024:04:15 12:24 |
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Location:
South Padre Island Covention Cen |
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Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: LeastTern_Z9X5846_SouthPadreIsland |
| © 2024 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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