04-03-2025, 10:29 AM
Every time I see a fairy tern I am reminded of being ten, and camping at Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel one Christmas holiday. Aside from the over supply of crayfish, the night the cow came into our tent, and my Mum's insistence on a proper long drop (with a door), the fairy terns were testing on the beach. One morning I found a hen running ahead of me dragging a wing, and I caught her and took her back to our tents with her sitting quietly in my hands. After my Dad enlightened me as to their clever distraction techniques, and the usual photos were taken I carried her back to where I found her and let her go back to her eggs, unbroken wing definitely evident.
Each time I come across those photos I am reminded how brief the time can be between a healthy population living the sweet life, and coming so close to extinction your numbers go down to double figures. I am glad they are being looked after these days, they are magical birds and that single mama bird gave me the most magical memories.
Each time I come across those photos I am reminded how brief the time can be between a healthy population living the sweet life, and coming so close to extinction your numbers go down to double figures. I am glad they are being looked after these days, they are magical birds and that single mama bird gave me the most magical memories.