The food deliveries came in a steady stream. Perhaps a bit too strady at times. More than once the young common tern dropped the fish that the parent just had delivered. And as the fish lay wriggeling at the juvenile's feet, it immediately begun to beg for more food. As an outsider, it is hard to believe that the young one was driven by hunger, but the parent played it safe and immediately rushed off to catch more fish.
Time to move on! After an hour with food constantly being delivered to the stones just off the beach, the young tern ought to be satisfied. If nothing else, the parents seemed to think that the youngling has had its fair share of food and attention before lunch. So when the young tern had begged for a long time without the parents showing up, it decided to go out and look for food on its own.
