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View Full Version : In Hot Pursuit


Michael Pancier
05-14-2008, 07:20 AM
The least terns colonies are nesting all over Tigertail Beach. They have the area well roped off. If you walk along the beach, even though you are a good 20 feet away from the ropes, the least terns will attack you. What I found amazing was when this osprey was flying by looking for a late afternoon fish, the terns would swarm on him. It was fun to watch. This was the only one where I got a decent head turn from the osprey.

40d + 400 5.6L
f/5.6
1/2500
ISO 400
Manual Mode
cropped 30%
Randy Stout
05-14-2008, 07:41 AM
Michael:

My first thought on seeing this image was that it looks like a B-17 being attacked by a pair of Me-109s. I guess I have seen 12 Oclock High too many times. It looks very sharp for me, and I like the composition.

Randy
Steve Maxson
05-14-2008, 09:36 AM
A cool behavior image, Michael. All three birds appear to be in focus, the image is nicely composed, and the head turn of the osprey suggests that it is not able to ignore the attackers. I once saw a peregrine fly over a common tern colony here in MN. It was immediately mobbed by about 50 terns and unceremoniously escorted from the area. :)
Philip Lombard
05-14-2008, 10:07 AM
NIce capture, of course at F 5.6 all cannot be in focus but the main subjedct is.
Robert Amoruso
05-14-2008, 11:42 AM
All the birds look sharp to me. Positioning of the birds is good and nice showing of the behavior.

Least Terns will mob anything near a colony.
Harold Davis
05-14-2008, 02:24 PM
very cool behavioral photo. i like the action. now, did you get attacked!!??
Alfred Forns
05-14-2008, 02:45 PM
Great behavior Mike !!! Sure wish you could have gotten the terns closer to the Osprey !!! Osprey's directly looking at the turns looks great !!!
Michael Pancier
05-14-2008, 04:15 PM
Great behavior Mike !!! Sure wish you could have gotten the terns closer to the Osprey !!! Osprey's directly looking at the turns looks great !!!

I did but the osprey was looking away from the camera. I have a shot with 6 terns and the osprey. head position on the osprey sucked though.

Harold, I did get attacked. They would come right at me and dive bomb at me. And they are fast. I used the opportunity to get some flight shots of them close up, but let me tell you, they are not wimps despite their size
Hillebrand Breuker
05-14-2008, 05:11 PM
this is a great behaviour shot which tells a story. I like that. Techs are great, but the interaction is what makes this photograph