We returned to the terns Wednesday as these Forstner’s Terns continued their courtship rituals. The males hover in place over the water looking for a fish, their eyes providing a sort of 3D view of the water to aid in their search. Once they spot the gift, they plummet to the water to capture it and, if successful in their fishing efforts, they present their catch to their potential mates as a courtship offering. There was quite a bit of activity as several terns took turns hovering near us searching for the perfect morsel. Once again we had optimal conditions with the sun and wind at our backs so the terns faced us as they hovered.
