Black Capped Skimming Terns

[drr1531]

OK they're arctic terns taking a stab at skimming.

1) With the beak, bird. The beak.

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2) Good form but gotta get lower.

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3) Plenty low but you've gotta dip the beak.

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4) Looking good...

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5) Doh. A little too deep.

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6) Good approach...

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7) That's it!

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8) There you go.

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[Brian_S]

hahah
these are great, excellent and comical, love #1, the body surfer and #5, well done

 

[Palouse]

Thanks for the laughs! Great series.

 

[Bohdan]

Wow.... just made my morning. Great photos and dialogue.

 

[drr1531]

hahah
these are great, excellent and comical, love #1, the body surfer and #5, well done

Thanks, Brian. No.5 is one of those shots that you don't realize even happened at the time. So funny when I saw it while culling.

Thanks for the laughs! Great series.

Glad to be of service, Nick. A bit of humor is rarely a bad thing.

Wow.... just made my morning. Great photos and dialogue.

Thanks, Bob. Glad you enjoyed the post. These were shot on a fresh water marsh. I guess these guys are getting a drink of water when they do this. Also when they come back from fishing carrying a fish or dragon fly they will drag it in the water before eating it or giving it to their mate/chicks. Presumably to wet it and make it easier to swallow whole.

 

[Allan]

Nice ones capturing the reflections!

 

[Louis Champan]

Good ones Dan, I've never seen a Tern perform those tactics.

 

[Binnur]

Very nice set Dan. My favs are #5 and #8.

 

[JW53]

Very nice Dan, never seen a bird body surf before , great all around set and commentary.

 

[drr1531]

Nice ones capturing the reflections!

Thanks, Allan. Gotta love smooth, dark water like that for reflections.

Good ones Dan, I've never seen a Tern perform those tactics.

Thanks, Louie. The more time I spend studying wildlife the more I realize how little we know. Any time a biologist makes a definitive statement about animal behavior, diet, etc, they lose credibility with me.

Very nice set Dan. My favs are #5 and #8.

Thanks, Binnur. I love no.5, the accidental face plant

Very nice Dan, never seen a bird body surf before , great all around set and commentary.

Thanks, John. I think we tend to have a perception that animals are so in tune with their surroundings, in perfect control of their bodies, etc. Time in the field and still photography helps dispel those myths. They trip, run into things, misjudge landings, etc, just like we do.