Terns on the beach

I don't know a lot about Terns, in fact I had to look them up in my bird book to even know these were Terns.

I thought I was shooting a mama and baby here, but now I'm not so sure. Are they just two different kinds of Terns?

Or is he a baby, just starting to get the color in his beak?

Royal Terns

I think these fellows are adorable! The little feathers tufting up on the backs of their heads makes me think of little old balding men. They just need tweed jackets. :)

Tern Around

I think this is a Tern, in my little book I thought it looked like the Least Tern, but the book shows it being in Florida in the summer (not winter) and that it's endangered - so I really am not sure.  I love its little scissortail, lol.

It's a petite little thing, whatever it is.

Seems I keep using the gulls for a size comparison, but there were a lot of gulls everywhere so they make convenient rulers.  I love shorebirds!

Beach Bums

I think I need to spend more time on the beach. ;0) I love how his eye is closed here. It seems dreamy.

So, I think he's too big to be a Spotted Sandpiper but I'm not really sure what he is. Any ideas?

Have a closer look.

Slightly smaller than a gull, but not as small as a sandpiper.

I think he's cute no matter what he is.

Tiny Sandpiper.

Remarkable how similar their colors are and structure, almost look like a mom and a babe but I don't think they are.

Some sort of Tern?