I was up close using my 100-400II. I liked the positioning at the two-toned blue BG... This is an endangered roseate tern in breeding plumage. Unfortunately , this pose does not offer the "rosey bloom" on the chest, ever so faint, but a thing of beauty when you do witness it! Here the beak is entirely black but as the season progresses, some red returns starting at the base of the bill. There is some research that speculates the all black beak serves as a species recognition amongst other terns (common or arctic) during pairing and choosing a nest site, so they can facilitate their establishment amongst mixed colonies with more aggressive terns. Interestingly, as the chicks hatch and parents deliver food, red at the base of the the bill begins, and the speculation is that now the roseates may have more "equal" aggressive identification, amongst the commons or arctic terns. It is quite the commotion delivering fish to a chick; bird pirates, multiple chicks fighting over fish, and lots of circling round before their is another attempt by the parent.
1Dx
400mm
ISO 500
f 7.1
1/3200







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