This is the first of three posts on this day trip to Arne and I'll concentrate the first post on this superb Sandwich Tern which was fishing right in front of us. All of these photos are cropped. I would love to have been closer to the bird, but you cant always get what you want! (-: Click to enlarge.
The Sandwich Tern is a large Tern with a distinctive long black bill with a yellow tip (seen here quite well against the grass background). It has a much shorter forked tail than other Terns and in flight seems quite chunky and large headed.
It dived several times in front of us and the following photos are the best mix I could get from several dives.
The dark wedges in the wing in this shot below show quite a bit of wear in the feathers. If it were a fresh summer bird the wedges would be more indistinct.
This bird below is showing the beginnings of its white winter forehead coming in.
More on Arne in my next post.
14 comments:
That is a great series of shots of the tern. I like the way it appears to be rising out of the circle in the water it made....very arty :-)
Jenny, when you post your birding adventures I feel as if I'm right there with you. Thanks!
Jenny the shots of the tern in the dive and back into take-off are awesome beautiful shots! Very interesting. At the risk of sounding totally stupid what makes up the pretty purple meadow/field? Looking forward to the next post...
I thoroughly enjoyed this series of photos, and I never knew until I read this that one could click on the photo for a full size version. That enhances the experience immensely. Thanks for taking me along.
Very nice photos Jenny! I'm looking forward to seeing more of your trip!
Hi Mary, it was lovely to watch it fishing over about a period of 10 minutes on and off. My highlight of the day I think.
Hi Julie, that's very nice of you to say so. Glad you're enjoying it.
Hi RR, the purple flowering is the Heather on the Heathland there. Quite a sight....
Hi Old Grey Egg, thanks for dropping in on my blog I'm glad you liked it. I found out from Eve at Sunnysideup blog that if you put your photos in backwards (ie: last first) that is when the photos can be clicked on to enlarge them.
Hi Evie, will try and post tonight, if not then tomorrow evening after work.
Hi Mary, just saw your comment on my SWF post, I hadn't done a SWF for ages either. Just got inspired I guess. (-:
Good find, that Sandwich Tern Jen. Don't think I have ever seen one. Arne is a great place to visit.
Hi Jen, Good Job!! Great photos. And wasn't the heather superb......nothing like that out here. Ah I remember the BOC trips to the Arne..........
Really great diving shots Jenny. The Earl of Sandwich would have been proud that such a Tern would share his name. Was it fishing for small fish? Frogs? What do they eat, I wonder.
Hi Jenny,
This is a gorgeous series of flying and fishing shots. I've been trying to do that with our arctic tern, but first they are too small and then so quick to change direction and go fishing that I never managed. Well done this is a very beautiful set of pictures.
Hi Roy, yes, I'm glad I went on this trip. I've not been to Arne much in my 11 years of birding. This was maybe the 3 visit. I'd love to go sometime for the snakes and lizards.
Hi Tony, great to have you commmenting on my blog. (-: I remember my first ever visit to Arne in April 1998, you lead me astray when we went off to 'twicth' the Purple Heron at Lodmoor.....remember?
Hi Christine, that noble Tern would've been fishing for small fish. I'm not sure it was successful while we were watching it.
Hi Chris, thanks for that. I would love to photograph the Little Tern fishing, but that would probably be even worse that Arctic Tern!!! (-:
Jenny Wren, These turn shots are great!
Great work done.Thanks for lovely post and pictures.
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