Sea of Terns

A colony of terns watches the sun rise in the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge in Chatham, Massachusetts. This is the second-largest colony of terns on the Atlantic coast, with over 17,000 birds. South Monomoy Island stretches for miles off the southern elbow of Cape Cod. The low barrier islands of Monomoy comprise the critical habitat for migrating birds to feed and rest. The ever-shifting sands host the Atlantic seaboard's second largest colony of common terns, over 17,000 strong. As the sun rises over the pounding Atlantic surf, they noisily awaken from nests scattered among the dunes and beach grass. With the cameras recording the activities of their homes, we get up close and personal with the feisty birds as their daily routine commences.