Photographing Fairy Tern behaviours is challenging and, as a result, rewarding when it works. Being small and fast moving it is difficult to be close enough to a behaviour to get a good number of pixels on the subject while keeping sharp focus on a rapidly moving subject.

Having captured a diving sequence I was keen to get images of the splashdown and hopefully emergence with a captured fish. This relied on a diving plunge happening close to where I was and then hoping that it was a successful dive. With this series the first condition was met but unfortunately not the second.

I have spent quite a few days working with this young bird over the past 2 seasons and he is still developing his hunting skills. In 2018 his success rate for each dive was very poor with the vast majority of dives unrewarded. In 2019 his skills had improved a lot and he was able to regularly offer his young mate a fish but most dives still came up empty. In contrast a more experienced bird hunting further up the estuary had a far higher success rate.

With a bit of luck I may coincide a future visit and sequence with a fruitful dive and we can both celebrate a successful mission.

Photos with Nikon D850 and Nikon 500mm f5.6PF lens