Sometimes people are fascinated by flying bird models build by man. When watching real bird flying I just cannot stop thoughts how primitive and slow these man made models are. These thoughts are even stronger when I am watching Least Terns falling down like a bolt from the blue to get a little fish often from very turbulent water. Their very fast diving speed and constant but precise changes of wing and tail positions to make incredible fast adjustments allow them to follow their prey below. Although like most fish eaters they most likely, and usually, follow school of fishes rather than single fish they still have to plunge and strike with great precision to secure the single catch. If decision is done in the last moment before strike that means that attacker has a split second time to make one to pursue the strike right into the target. Many people try to photograph birds in flight and with a newest sophisticated rigs this task became quite easy. Photographing hunting LETEs provides just a little extra fun. There are a few stages of the LETE hunt. Some easier and some more difficult to catch in photo. Searching flight, wind hover and initiating of dive are easy, so is the moment of leaving the water (with or without the prey) as former are easy to predict and follow and latter is in a fixed place where LETE disappeared under the water so and extra moment is given to point the lens. Little more difficult to photograph is the dive that can be unpredictable but when course of attack is changing quickly more interesting maneuvers (wing/tail positions) can be freeze in photo. Of course the small size of Least Tern does not help as a small object in very fast erratic motion is harder to keep in focus. I am now trying to put together selection of photos illustrating Least Tern maneuvers during hunting dives. I will try to put together plunge and strike moments as well and share these perhaps in another post. As I said before a moment of leaving the water is easy to catch but is perhaps also the most âphotogenicâ. _http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/146797841_ (http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/146797841) I will try to illustrate these other moments soon but now back to dives and to illustrate wing/tail maneuvers during the dive. Here are a few examples _http://www.pbase.com/image/146797725_ (http://www.pbase.com/image/146797725) _http://www.pbase.com/image/146797699_ (http://www.pbase.com/image/146797699) _http://www.pbase.com/image/146797711_ (http://www.pbase.com/image/146797711) _http://www.pbase.com/image/146797705_ (http://www.pbase.com/image/146797705) Including photos showing in how turbulent water a little Least Terns can get a minute size fish _http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/146797813_ (http://www.pbase.com/mbb/image/146797813) _http://www.pbase.com/image/146797746_ (http://www.pbase.com/image/146797746) And many more here _http://www.pbase.com/mbb/least_tern_hunting__search_and_dive__wing_and_tail _maneuvers_ (http://www.pbase.com/mbb/least_tern_hunting__search_and_dive__wing_and_tail_maneuvers) Of course one has to see the dive with his own eyes to fully appreciate the speed and gymnastic maneuvers. Mark B Bartosik Houston, Texas _http://www.pbase.com/mbb/from_the_field_ (http://www.pbase.com/mbb/from_the_field)
