WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Work has stopped at a west Wichita
construction company after endangered birds decided to build their
nests nearby.
The group of six male and six female least terns arrived in the
area from the Gulf of Mexico last month. And last week, after the
birds built nests and began laying eggs, The Kansas Department of
Wildlife and Parks closed off a section of sand bar.
Lafarge Aggregates employees had scraped the sand bar a few
weeks ago to get ready for sand evacuation. It made an ideal spot
for the terns, because it didn't flood or have vegetation.
Charlie Cope, a state wildlife biologist, says it normally takes
22 days for the brown mottled eggs to hatch - and another 22 days
for the chicks to start flying on their own.
Wildlife officials are keeping the nesting spot secret to
protect the birds.
