WDCash Loc: Milford, Delaware, USA

Was very fortunate this am to be able to capture a few keepers of Terns feeding. Terns are wonderful to watch over small fish. They dive bomb head first into the water to catch dinner. Like air to surface missiles. Then if their aim was true they emerge from the water with small fish in beak.
This is the first time I have had any success at capturing them in flight, they are small and fast. I started shooting at 1600 and half way through the 60 shots moved to 2000. In hind suite 2000 was still to slow.
For all of my on the boat/water shooting, which is 90% of it in the good weather, I have started using 1600 as my "normal" starting out shutter speed. The boat, even when stopped, is always moving.

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Starting a dive

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Hovering, looking for a target,lunch

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PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Bill, Great series. The sixth one is my favorite. Do you have one?
Does the sound of your engine spook them?

WDCash Loc: Milford, Delaware, USA

Hello Stan,
Thanks very much
I agree about #6. The pair diving, #4, would be but it's out of focus a bit. It's actually cropped out of #1.

They don't seem to be troubled by the boat or engine noise at all. But they are used to lots of boats around. When they are feeding they are quite fearless, sometimes diving right next to the boat and with just a little coaxing will snatch bait from a hand.

Bonnie Halsell Loc: Ocala, Florida USA

Great set. My favorite is "starting the dive". I congratulate you on the captures; birds are so hard and my hat is off to you.
Bonnie

WDCash Loc: Milford, Delaware, USA

Thanks very much Bonnie.

DickC Loc: NE Washington state

Very nice photos, thanks for sharing!!

WDCash Loc: Milford, Delaware, USA

Hello DickC.
That was my uncle's name,
Thanks for looking!