Tindra and the Black-legged Kittiwake

One spring morning, Tindra was abruptly woken from her sleep. A deafening screeching noise penetrated the walls of the Holmvik Brygge. Tindra rubbed her eyes and blinked sleepily. "What is all that racket?" she mumbled. She crept out of her little hiding place between the walls, carefully climbed through a tiny door, and peeked outside.

Outside, dozens of kittiwakes were fluttering and screeching in the air. They flew from roof to roof, landed on windowsills, and chattered noisily. "It sounds like a marketplace!" Tindra thought. Curious, she ran off to find out what was happening.

 
At the old dock, she met Otta, the otter, who was also gazing upwards in wonder. "What's going on here?" Tindra asked.

"Oh, those are the black-legged kittiwakes," explained Otta. "They come back to Nyksund every spring to nest. All winter, they live on the open sea – sometimes they fly as far as the Azores or even the Mediterranean. But in spring, they always return to land."

"Why are they so loud?" asked Tindra.

Otta laughed. "Kittiwakes always have something to say. The screeching you hear is their conversations. When one starts telling a story, the others always have something to add. They love outdoing each other."

Tindra shook her head. "That sounds exhausting. But they really are beautiful." She watched the kittiwakes soar through the air with their white bodies, gray wings, and black wingtips.

 
Suddenly, a young kittiwake landed right in front of Tindra. She looked a bit clumsy and almost tripped over her own feet. "Hello," said the kittiwake shyly. "I’m Kaja. And who are you?"

"I’m Tindra," Tindra replied kindly. "Are you new here?"

Kaja nodded. "Yes, this is my first time back in Nyksund. I was born last summer and spent the winter on the open sea. It was exciting but also quite exhausting."

"How lovely that you’ve come back," said Tindra. "Tell me more about you kittiwakes. You’re so fascinating!"

 
"Well," began Kaja, "we kittiwakes need steep cliffs to build our nests. But there are fewer and fewer of them. That’s why we sometimes choose windowsills and other odd spots – but humans don’t like that very much."

"I can imagine," said Tindra. "What do the humans do about it?"

"Here in Nyksund, they’ve built something special," Kaja explained proudly. "A kittiwake hotel! It’s like a big birdhouse with lots of little spaces where we can nest. It’s really kind of them."

Tindra nodded excitedly. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. And what makes kittiwakes so special?"

"Well," said Kaja, "we’re not only beautiful but also quite rare. There aren’t many of us left, so we’re protected. Plus, we love being close to humans – especially fishermen. They always have something to eat!"

 
"You know," continued Kaja, "the Sámi people, the ancient people of the north, have a special connection to us. They believe we were created from the foam of the waves as part of the sea. If you’re kind to us, we’ll show you where the best fishing spots are. But you’ll have to share the fish you catch with us."

Tindra smiled. "The Sámi sound like a fascinating people. I’ve already heard from Ragna the reindeer that they’re very connected to nature. And now I hear they value you too. I like that!"

 
The sun slowly began to rise over the mountains, and the light made Nyksund’s colorful houses glow. Kaja spread her wings. "I have to go," she said. "My family is waiting for me. But if you want, I can show you where our kittiwake hotel is."

"I’d love to see it!" Tindra exclaimed excitedly. She followed Kaja, who led her to a long wall with many small wooden boxes. "This is amazing!" said Tindra. "It looks like a little village just for you."

Kaja nodded. "It really is a lovely place. And now I must go – there’s so much to do!"

"Thank you for telling me so much about you," said Tindra. "I hope we see each other again soon."

"Certainly," called Kaja as she flapped her wings and soared into the sky. Tindra waved after her and then made her way back to the Holmvik Brygge, where she thought for a long time about the exciting stories of the kittiwakes.