For adult eyes only

So... this Least Tern flies into a busy colony, finds a single girl looking lonely and offers her a fish...

; )

The fish is waved endlessly about in a teasing sort of way...

Notice how possession of the fish has changed ownership at this point in the dance...

; )

This is what I meant by "flirting with fish"... a slightly voyeuristic pleasure I've been able to enjoy and share with the casual unsuspecting beach-goer over the last couple weeks.

: )

It's been fun to point out the naughtiness that's taking place right under their sunburned noses...

So while a number of Least Terns continue to mate, the chicks of their neighbors are beginning to test their wings to fly for the first time... I'm looking forward to that in the coming week!

At one point late in the afternoon yesterday, something panicked the colony and set all the adults to the air and every last chick running toward the shoreline, toward the boundary of their protected area, toward the open beach and the kite-flying, volleyball-playing, sun-marinated and clueless public.

I'm not quite ready for that, yet.