My Favorite : Least Terns aren't a common sight in South Dakota. In fact...I started birding here in 2000, and didn't get great looks or photos of one until 2020! Least Terns breed on sand bars of the Missouri River and its large tributaries, but with the construction of dams in the mid 1900s, the sandbars of the free-flowing Missouri disappeared in most of the state. They're probably easiest to find now in the area below Gavin's Point Dam, where the Missouri still runs free and sandbars are abundant. All of the photos below are from North Alabama Bend park , and area along the river near Vermilion, South Dakota.
All photos are copyrighted by Terry L. Sohl. Contact me for print options or questions about photo use.
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