Mikepércs: A Hunting Great White Egret

My last tern photography wasn't successful. However I made some changes to the landing place, so I set off today with high hopes.

The terns usually arrive with the first lights to the pond. Today however I'm just waiting and waiting for them and yet they don't come. It's full light already when one of them appears, flies above the pond, then turns back and leaves. Damn! I suspect that I've got up in vain so early. The sun is shining for long, the best lights are gone, I'm thinking about leaving ... Then I hear some noise and observe an egret in the reed. It's just coming out:

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

It's hunting for small creatures, mainly for tadpoles:

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

It comes really close:

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

I don't know if it has observerd the motion of my lens but it flies further to go on searching for tadpoles there ...:

Great White Egret

... then it disappears in the vegetation.

At least I didn't come in vain.

Mikepércs: Mating Terns Again

I hoped for other scenes with terns today. On my way to the hide I could see that there would be strong sunshine today.

In the best lights I couldn't catch anything, missing a few scenes.

This is how one of the terns sitting on the landing branch welcomes her mate:

Whiskered Terns

A largish coot chick attracts my attention for a short time noticing a small insect on a reed ...:

Coot

... which it manages to catch after a few attempts.
Not long after this a mating takes place in front of me:

Whiskered Terns

After mating they pose for a few seconds:

Whiskered Terns

Mikepércs: Mating Whiskered Terns

I hoped that I could repeat the successful last weekend photography this morning.

When I get to the hide at dawn, the whiskered terns are coming too. I expected sunshine, but clouds are hiding the sun, which is visible on the photos as well:

Whiskered Terns

I've been waiting for such scenes:

Whiskered Terns

Whiskered Tern

The sun is shining for a few minutes:

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Terns

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Terns

Mating again:

Whiskered Terns

The coot chicks appear too:

Coot

Whiskered Tern

It looks like a little devil:

Coot

Whiskered Tern

Coot

The couple is together again:

Whiskered Terns

Whiskered Terns

Whiskered Terns

Mikepércs: Terns

The number of birds at the pond has dwindled, in fact only the coot families spend the day there. There's no wonder, as the water is full of algae. I failed to take any decent photos on my last two attempts. Today I expected something from the coots and their chicks.
The first birds are not the coots, as I expected, but the whiskered terns. They start to use the landing place soon:

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

A marsh harrier appears above the reed searching for some prey:

Marsh Harrier (male)

Whiskered Terns

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Terns

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Later a few black terns appear among the whiskered terns as well:

Black Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Terns

The mating starts well at these couple but it's not accomplished:

Whiskered Terns

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Terns

The gift is too slim at this time:

Whiskered Terns

Whiskered Terns

Whiskered Terns