Jr. Forster's & a Duck

The players:  A family of Forster's Terns (one adult and three juveniles) and a female Canvasback Duck.

The Setting:   A very peaceful afternoon at a prairie slough. 

The Story:  It is quiet.....quiet except for a very noisy, whiny Forster's Tern juvenile, very put out about having to feed itself.

Oh, it picked and pecked at things in the water,

...but mostly Junior begged and fussed.  The two other young terns slept with head tucked under wings.  Perhaps they were tuckered out from their own extended begging antics.

Young Tern:  "Feed me, Feed me, I Am Hungry"

Parent Tern, humming tunelessly to itself, patiently says:  "No darling, you must try to find your own food.

Duck: "Please be quiet.  I'm trying to enjoy the day"

YT:  "Can I have something to eat; give me something to eat, I'm starving, feed me"

PT:  "No, sweetheart, you must learn to feed yourself...see that nice piece of pond scum right there...it is so yummy....try it".

Duck, muttering not quite to itself:   "Give the kid something, anything"  (I am sure a loud duck sigh could be heard).

YT:  "I Need FOOD!!!  Why won't you feed me?"

PT, randomly to all in the area:  "Isn't he just so cute and clever?"

Duck, not seeing the adorableness of the young tern:   "I can't stand this anymore.  I'm outta here.  Honestly!".

Of course, it was me, loitering from a distance, that made the duck waddle off, but still, I like to blame it on the noisy young tern as that is usually my own reaction when my space has been invaded by whiny children.