First flight

I watched an Arctic Tern colony struggle to raise chicks over the last summer. There was plenty of food, although maybe not the right type, but there were also too many predators.

Chicks are vulnerable to gulls and Ravens and skuas on the pebbly beach and have to respond to adult alarm calls by either staying still, running down the beach for the sea, or running up the beach to cover. It’s always a relief to see a chick finally develop its primary wing feathers and attempt its first hesitant flight.

This may have been the only Arctic Tern chick which survived.