![\"caspian](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/caspian-tern-0419b-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nI thought “the king of all the terns” deserved some exposure on my blog, especially since many folks don’t often\u00a0see (or recognize) the species.<\/p>\n
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1\/5000, f\/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc,\u00a0not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n This is a “grab shot” of a Caspian Tern\u00a0I took a few days ago at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I was photographing grebes\u00a0on the water when this raucous-sounding bird unexpectedly flew by and I just\u00a0lifted my lens and popped off a couple of shots. It’s only a documentary image but I believe it represents the species well.<\/p>\n Caspian Terns are known for their massive coral-red bill, hoarse calls and their similarity to\u00a0large gulls in flight.\u00a0They’re the largest, strongest and fiercest of the terns and I always enjoy seeing them in summer. In\u00a0North America they breed in widely scattered localities and one of them is here in northern Utah around the Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake.<\/p>\n I often see this species in conjunction with Forster’s Terns as they dive for fish in shallow freshwater ponds but this summer I’ve seen fewer of both species than usual so I was pleased to get this shot of such a handsome bird.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I thought “the king of all the terns” deserved some exposure on my blog, especially since many folks don’t often see (or recognize) the species.<\/p>\n