Royal Tern splashing and bathing – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1250, ISO 250, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
This image of a splashing and bathing Royal Tern in a Florida lagoon was taken nearly ten years ago and I’d never processed it until today. I can recall laying partially in the water and partially in the wet sand at the edge of the lagoon to take this photo to obtain the lowest angle possible. I like the flying water droplets, the eye contact with the tern and the little wavelet in front of the tern’s body.
This is the time of the year when these large terns are in their breeding plumage and they are looking for mates for the breeding season.
I’ll be blunt this morning, I had more that I wanted to write about this photo and Royal Terns in general but when I woke this morning and saw the news about the attacks on the mosques in New Zealand I knew I just didn’t have it in me to write more. I’ve been to Christchurch, met wonderful people there and I truly can’t imagine the horror they are dealing with.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Royal Tern photos plus facts and information about this species.
It is a great image of the royal Tern and I am glad you took a moment to reflect on the tragedy in New Zealand, as I have. I feel great sadness and empathy for the innocent Muslim people who were slaughtered while in their place of worship as well as all the people in the community affected by this horror.
To deliberately take another life…unfathomable.
The first thing I do each morning is to check out what you and Ron have posted…I haven’t sedn the news yet…am dreading it!!! I am not a religious person, but I have to acknowledge that evil is rampant, world wide…what’s happening in and to my country makes me sick….
Cool photo, Mia
Oh, what a beauty. The world is going crazy.