Caspian Tern Flight

[Daniel Cadieux]

I was already setup in anticipation/hope of the terns taking off, but it did not happen the way I thought it would. The whole flock of gulls (and just two terns at that moment) were quite relaxed and resting. All of a sudden a big blast of panicked birds rose up and took off - luckily the sun and wind were just right for their preferred direction of flight. A quick glance up in the sky revealed a Red-tailed Hawk high up and circling above - a sure thing to rise a flock of resting birds.

Canon 7DII + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC III, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/4000s., f/5.6, ISO 800, natural light, handheld, about 80% FF (cropped some off the left and top). Usual eye work. NR to the BG. My one wish for this image...for the far wing to have been a tad lower to clear the tip of the bill...

[Isaac Grant]

Great in flight shot. Exposure and sharpness are excellent. And I really like the background. I like the wings, especially the flared far wing, but agree that if the back wing were a tiny bit lower it would be perfect. Now its just ridiculously good. The only thing I could possibly recommend or consider doing to this image is possibly rotating it clockwise a little bit. Not sure it would work, but because the trees in the back are lower on the left and higher on the right it almost gives the impression that the bird is off. I think the back wing because it is higher gives that impression as well. Also I get the impression that the sand (?) at the bottom is higher on the right than the left. Anyway, just a suggestion.

[arash_hazeghi]

very nice Dan, love the BG and the exposure but I agree with yourself and Issac re the far wing, wish it had not intersected with the beak, still a very nice frame.

hope you are doing well

[Dumay de Boulle]

I love the layers of color in the BG. lovely details and nice flight angle. Love the extended wings.

[Arthur Morris]

I love this species. Do they nest anywhere near you? Or anyone else?

You rocked the downstroke and all the rest is good. Bummer in the bill/far wing merge.

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[Bill Dix]

Great looking bird with good exposure. I share your concern with the wing/bill juxtaposition.

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

A very nice image, well exposed, lovely BG, sharp with lot of detail. Agree reg the wing/beak merge but no deal breaker.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Dan, love the wing positions of both wings, and overall sharp, well exposed. Cool BG with a bit of everything in it. Well captured.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hey guys, thanks!

Artie, they do not breed in our around where I live, we get them passing through every year during migration (especially Fall migration). I believe there may be a few nesting colonies around the Great Lakes region, but not sure exactly where. They are a very cool species!

[Eric Dienesch]

great layers of color in the BG and good sharpness also, you have really done a good job here