Page 194 - 2003 - Atlantic Islands

We saw them leaving and arriving, swooping in on their graceful wings with their

sweet and lovely faces looking for just the proper nest. Then the arrivee and the nest

sitter would engage in their head weaving and bill clacking like French people kissing

one another on opposite cheeks. There was a constant din arising from the rookeries

since the birds also vocalize their greetings to one another. We could not be sure that

we saw any chicks but we certainly saw plenty of nest sitting, so maybe it was a little

early in the season for the eggs to have hatched. These birds are lovely, graceful,

aerodynamically built and skilled, fascinating in their behaviors. But . . .

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