Featured Image - Summer 2002

Least Tern chick 

By mid-summer, many species of birds are already raising young in Oklahoma.  But others continue to nest. This summer, I had the privilege to be the guest of U.S. Fish and Game biologist Ron Shepard of Great Salt Plains NWR in NW OK. I accompanied him as he surveyed Least Tern nest sites off limits to the general public.

Terns lay their eggs in shallow nests all along along the salt flats.  Predators such as coyotes and hawks take many of them, and we had to watch our step carefully so as not to step on them. This little guy is only hours old, and you can still see his egg tooth. It was a great trip!

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