My favorite bird is still the Pelican. Industrious, respectable, amazing aerialist, kind of goofy looking but very capable. But the other day I was visited by a group of terns that were very interesting. I see them flying around but they always seem to be scavenging off of the pelican’s work so I disdain them as I do the gulls. The other morning I was at anchor outside the dana marina and peeked out to see several perched on my aft rail, chirping and squawking. I have never see them land before, they are always flying. They are known to migrate over 10,000 miles each year, from the tip of South America to the North Arctic to mate, then back again. I guess this one morning they decided to stop in and perch on my boat for a while. I have not seen them stop before nor since this one morning.

There are many types of terns: arctic, common, Forsters, just to name a few. The ones that visited me are, I think, Forsters terns. They are quite pretty, small, about the size of a robin, with a deeply forked tail, all white body except with a black cap on their head that includes their eyes. As summer comes the topmost part of their head turns white, leaving a black eye band, like a bandit mask. (fitting, as they are always stealing from the pelicans…)

They also seemed to take delight, this one morning only, in the sport of dive bomb pooping on the tiny 1 foot triangle of my fore-deck. Nowhere else on my boat did they poop, but this one tiny area of the bow, and then repeatedly! It must have been a display of their aerial skills, and I guess they got extra points if they hit the anchor roller. I must admit I was impressed and amused. No harm done, easily washed off, and very entertaining to watch. (I have been told that the fact that I was entertained by this means I am loosing my mind and need to get a TV…..