Such beautiful big terns, as big as a large gull.

if you look closely you can see the eye of the fish

Huntington Beach State Park, Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

Half Moon Bay State Beach, CA

080716

no fish this time, but the water still has to be shaken off

a little surface skimming

the conclusion of a skim across the water, which resulted in a catch

(Nikon, 500mm, 1/800 @ f/5.6, ISO 100)

9673

Caspian Tern reaping a goldfish as a reward after being harassed by a red winged blackbird

(see in the previous series of 3 images).

Caspian tern being harassed by a juvenile red-winged blackbird

When the Caspian Tern sees it’s prey it first hovers for a split second, then goes into a full dive and tuck. They either catch their fish or spear it with their sharp beak. Here one is starting the dive from about 100ft.

I wish my neck could do this......was going to use a caption from the Exorcist to describe the neck rotation, but decided against it. these birds are fabulous, graceful athletes.

Caspian Terns and a couple of Gulls

Pescadero State Beach

California

I saw about a dozen Caspian Terns roosting on a sandbar near the mouth of Pescadero Creek. They got very noisy when I tried to get closer, so I kept my distance. One of the articles that I read about these birds characterized their call as a "loud heron-like croak." That fits with what I heard.

I just love these huge terns. Recent DNA studies have found that, despite its appearance, this species is more closely related to the Common Tern than to the crested terns in the genus Thalasseus in which it has sometimes been included.

Coyote Point County Park, San Mateo County, CA.

Crissy Field Lagoon, San Francisco, CA

Battlefield 2042 (Portal)

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

.. :: Join my groups :: ..

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Beauty in Video Games

Beauty Digital Body

Beauty Nightlife

Beauty Sunset

Magic in the Mist

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

(Hydroprogne caspia) - Rybitwa wielkodzioba

Downsview Park, Toronto

Caspian tern tossing a fish in mid-air to turn it for proper swallowing