Common Tern at the Oysterbeds

[PeterD]

The Common Tern are just beginning to settle on the islands in the lagoon. The females hunker down in scrapes in the gravel and the males try courting them by presenting their potential mates with fish. This can cause conflict as this series shows.

Male flying in with a fish it had caught.


He managed to drop off the fish (unfortunately out of sight) but immediately flew up to high levels, chased by another male. The battle, which lasted about a minute, then took place. These are a couple of shots of the closest encounters.





Hope you like these

[Pops]

Beautifully sharp with a wonderful clear background.
You captured the aggression very well in the last 2

[PeterD]

Originally Posted by Pops

Beautifully sharp with a wonderful clear background.
You captured the aggression very well in the last 2

Thank you Pops. This is the time of year I really like with so much going on around us.

[Barr1e]

#2 is I think perfection, the folded wing, the screeching and the poses - love it.

Regards. Barr1e

[PeterD]

Originally Posted by Barr1e

#2 is I think perfection, the folded wing, the screeching and the poses - love it.

Regards. Barr1e

Thanks Barrie. These photos say everything that I love about the Oysterbed site. Watching and recording special moments like this reveals so much of what goes on in the colony.

[devilgas]

Cracking shots Peter. The 2nd is easily the best because there is no doubt whatsoever on what is taking place.

[PeterD]

Originally Posted by devilgas

Cracking shots Peter. The 2nd is easily the best because there is no doubt whatsoever on what is taking place.

Thank you for your kind comments. Greatly appreciated

[Ian]

Superb captures - drama and beauty encapsulated. If I have any advice, it might be that you could reduce the blue channel noise in the sky areas. But that's all

Ian

[PeterD]

Originally Posted by Ian

Superb captures - drama and beauty encapsulated. If I have any advice, it might be that you could reduce the blue channel noise in the sky areas. But that's all

Ian

Thank you Ian for your reply and helpful comments