Week 37 – Forster’s Tern

 

Forster’s Tern. Photograph by Neil Paprocki.

Terns are extremely fun to photograph. Their flight style and ability to dive into water for fish make them quite photogenic. Last summer I spent nearly an entire morning photographing Arctic Terns along a creek just downstream from a fish hatchery in Alaska’s interior. I could’ve spent all day doing so but pulled myself away to continue along the Denali Highway.

Two weeks ago I photographed a Common Tern in Utah. I have still been seeing quite a few Common Terns, but most of the individuals are juvenile or adult Forster’s Terns in full winter plumage. The Forster’s Terns have lost their black caps and are now donning fresh winter headgear. They also lose the yellow/orange bill for a simpler black look during the non-breeding months.

One day I hope to capture the ultimate photo-prize: a tern diving into the water after a fish. Alas, this has continued to elude me.

All of the previous 52-week blog posts can be found at the Wild Lens blog or on Flickr.