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Inspiring and Supporting Photographers of Australian Birds

Greater Crested Tern

Greater Crested Tern (Image ID 45778)
Photographed byMichael Hamel-Green on Thu 15th Apr, 2021 and uploaded on Tue 20th Apr, 2021 .
Resolution1800x1009
Viewed181
ID45778
CommentArriving at the Lake Borrie coastline a few hours after high tide, the receding waters were the scene of much commotion in the air in several places along the shore line. Flocks of Silver Gulls and Crested Terns had evidently spotted shoals of small fish and were in a frenzy of circling around and diving down for the big breakfast on offer. Crested Terns apparently have special red oil droplets in the cones of their eye retinas that allow them to better see through the air/water interface and more easily detect fish shoals. The Crested Terns had their own fishing strategy, which consisted in kamikaze style steep dives on their prey, creating a huge splash as they struck the water (some are known to dive as much as one metre down). As I watched, some came up with a fish, some with seaweed, and some just empty-beaked, as in the case of this disappointed Crested Tern rising from splashdown. My impression surveying this free-for-all fish hunt for half and hour or so was that around one in three of the Tern dives were productive, no doubt a success rate with which the average angler would be more than happy.
EquipmentNikon Z7ii, Nikon 300mm PF f420, Nikon TC1.4 420mm ISO 1250 1/4000th f8 Monopod
LocationWerribee Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria
Keywordsin flight, adult
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