Terns in Flight

[Scottes]

CDS and I went to Monomoy NWR on Cape Cod today. We waded through the beautiful ocean and got aboard a small power boat across to South Beach. We had no idea where to go on this narrow but very long island, but got a little help from the skipper, and off we went. We trudged through sand, which is very tiring if you've never done it. It takes about 5 times the effort of normal walking. But we managed.

Well, we didn't do much but complain for a while. I believe it was mostly things like "This sand sucks" and "This sun sucks" and "This wind sucks" and "Where all are the *$@%$@ birds?" and finally CDS summed it up with "This is an incredibly inhospitable place" or something to that effect. There wasn't much more to say after that line.

We finally made it to the northern tip of the southern island ("The Point" now that we're expert Monomoyans) where we started tracking down a semi-palmated sandpiper for quite a while. (You'll see him and many more tomorrow I'd guess. I'm exhausted and CDS is probably still downloading his 7 gigs of pictures.)

After that single peeper we browsed to the very tip since we saw a buncha gulls and terns and nothing else nearby. So we took many tern shots - CDS loves the diving terns, and I don't blame him once he pointed out how much better they are than the bottom feeding, junk swilling, garbage-bucket gulls. None of the diving shots that I took were worthwhile. Harumph. More practice is needed.

(Actually, I just think I need a new lens. That must be it. CDS has got a nice 500mm Sigma and he gets pictures of diving terns. My lens must suck. Yeah, that's it. Time to call B&H....)

Anyway, here's my "Terns In Flight" shots. You'll notice that I left out the "Blurred Terns Diving" shots along with the "Out Of Focus Terns With Minnows" shots. You're Welcome.



They seemed to like skimming a couple feet off the ground.

http://www.itsanadventure.com/postimages/Tern_9521.jpg


Almost every picture I took caught the tern with it's wings down. I think it's my lens.

http://www.itsanadventure.com/postimages/Tern_9530.jpg


Hey, it's wings are up! Maybe this lens is OK after all...

http://www.itsanadventure.com/postimages/Tern_9532.jpg


I think this is a cute little pose for some reason.
(Note that the wings are down. Stupid lens.)

http://www.itsanadventure.com/postimages/Tern_9536.jpg


With great skill I managed to keep this in focus, even though the lens was fighting me the whole time.

http://www.itsanadventure.com/postimages/Tern_9539.jpg


Another ground-skimmer. The wings are down, but I *think* it was me this time.

http://www.itsanadventure.com/postimages/Tern_9659.jpg


Wouldn't you say that I need a new len? If so, please email my wife - she doesn't believe me. Oh, if you do email her, please suggest the Canon 500mm L, and be sure to mention that I'll need a Wimberley and some Arca plates, too. Thanks.

[eric1]

great series Scottes, i think we all want the 500/4. did CDS bring his 500? i particularly liked #s 2, 3, 4, & 6.

[cmM]

Not bad, Scottes :shock:
You say your pictures suck, but I have much to practice to get to this level... oh hey, it MUST be my lens, and my CAMERA :wink: ! 20D, here I come. At least I'm not married :P

[ssim]

Amazing stuff Scott. I really like the last two. You obviously had more luck than I did today. I trudged around for most of the day and basically came up empty.

[Olegis]

Very good pictures Scott ! I especially liked the 2 and the 5 - great captures !
Which lens did you use ?

[LazyPhotographer]

These are great shots! These guys are not easy to catch - first they never sit still, then they complicate things by being black & white. What's yer wife's email address? :wink:

And your day was better than mine.. I thought I'd stay home and clean for a change. Don't ya know the ^%#$ dishwasher flooded the kitchen! I should have gone out shooting instead.. :evil:

[Scottes]

You say your pictures suck, but I have much to practice to get to this level...

You shoulda seen the ones I didn't post - those were the ones that sucked. Trying to catch the bird in a dive is not easy (for me anyway). I need practice at the tracking and timing.

[Scottes]

These guys are not easy to catch - first they never sit still, then they complicate things by being black & white.

This was a perfect day for them. It was so windy at time that they would flap and flap and flap but literally hover as they were "flying" into the wind at the exact speed of the wind. At times they were flying without moving an inch.


And:
"A bad day shooting is better than a good day cleaning." Always shoot - clean on rainy days.

[JZaun]

Fantastic, Excellent, cool, Etc,Etc, !!

Nope I'm not gonna install a marsh in my back yard :D

JZ

[IanD]

Great captures Scott. Now I know where CDS's post about cleaning salt water off a MKII comes from. :lol: :lol: :cry:

[latigid soe]

Very nice pics Scottes......Thanks for sharing with us :D

[PhotosGuy]

Excecllent shots & a good dialog, too :!:

[CyberDyneSystems]

These are looking fabulous!

Was it worth the burn? I get the feeling it wasn't :(

But the shots look GREAT!

[Chris1le]

Those are some pretty nice shots Scottes. I finally figures out what Big B was talking about in my GBH in Flight thread. :D i was thinking about heading to the shoreline out here on my next days off. Now I know I am. :lol:

[Scottes]

i was thinking about heading to the shoreline out here on my next days off. Now I know I am. :lol:

Go for it!

Two tips:

Get there right around high tide. As CDS and I discovered, the peepers came out just as the tide was going out.

And stay until the sun is down. The low sun gets under the flying birds and lights up the underside. And there's nothing like a nice sunset to color up a white bird. That's sweet!


Oh, and use sunscreen! I can finally walk without limping, and my forehead is done peeling the top two layers of skin, which was quite dead and gnarly. Yuck, and Ouch.

[djudes]

The second and third pictures of the tern are so cute

[Moppie]

Some more great pics!

From where Im sitting your sunburn was worth it :)