Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Taking Terns

I could never get bored of photographing terns. They are very interesting birds that form some great postures when stood and always graceful and elegant in flight. Earlier this year I joined up to a local nature reserve which provides a temporary summer home to large numbers of terns particularly Common Terns.
Photobucket

So I recently paid a couple of visits to the reserve with the specific goal of photographing some of the birds before they dispersed southward.
Photobucket

It really is an excellent place for photographing the birds as the opportunities to puts birds in front of the lens from one of the hides is so numerous. They form some interesting postures when they land in display to other passing birds.
Photobucket

Photobucket

What I was really after was some good flight photos but was this required a morning visit with a south-easterly to get the birds coming in the right direction which never really happened. The sun was also typically fleeting as it has been recently. I still managed some flight photos but not the image I have in my head. I admit I messed quite a few flight photos up with ends of wings out of the frame. Then again when you see the length of the wings that comes as no great surprise!
Photobucket

However, a few flight photos did come my way...
Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

The birds are already starting to disperse from the reserve so I will probably leave them for now but am already planning for a mini-project with them next year although hopefully on a day when conditions are perfect.

7 comments:

Jason Bugay Reyes said...

Excellent capture !

holdingmoments said...

These are stunning Richard. Perfect. Love the flight one with the water droplets.

The Watcher said...

Stunning photography.

Lee Harrison said...

Hay Rich I'm a massive fan of you photography, its truely amazing, I have my own sight on blogspot and I have been trying to get my pictures large on the screen like it is on yours but I am really strugling, I wondered if you might be able to help if you can please emale mw at leeharrison2@msn.com ..

this is my address if you want a look.

http://leeharrisonsnaturephotography.blogspot.com/

thanks always

David said...

Great series!!and without perfect conditions? I couldn't imagine your results when the conditions are perfect.
ENHORABUENA

Rich Steel said...

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I will have to wait until next year now to have another go at the terns as they have dispersed now. They are always a great joy to photograph and I am looking forward to that already.

Cheers

Rich

Unknown said...

Truly amazing images of the Tern. Exceptional quality. WOW...Thomas

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails