Against the SkyForster's Tern flying against a white sky

Robinson's Pond in East Patchogue is a dammed section of Mud Creek, a freshwater tributary of the Great South Bay.  Like nearby Swan Lake, West Lake and Patchogue Lake, Robinson's Pond is a hotspot for "Patchogue Birding" and a great stop in winter to pick through waterfowl.  Unlike the other lakes, Robinson's Pond (as the name implies) is much smaller, making it easier to spot birds of interest.  Additionally, visibility of the pond and its inhabitants is excellent as most birds can easily be observed from the shoulder of South Country Road.  

Typically, the interesting summer birds are Glossy Ibis stalking the shorelines, wood ducks venturing away from their nest boxes or trying to followi the unmistakeable rattle of the Belted Kingfisher.  However, every now and then something a bit more interesting shows up.  Over the weekend, as I drove past the pond, I noticed a large number of birds swirling around the south end of the pond.  Stopping on my return trip, I discovered the birds were two species: Forester's Terns and Laughing Gulls.  There were others around too - Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets, a few Great Blue Herons and of course the ubiquitous Swans and Canada Geese, but the terns and gulls were the star of the show.  

No Laughing MatterLaughing Gulls fight over a fish that a Tern dropped - with the lead bird getting away with the prize Getting out of the car with my camera, it took awhile to discern what was going on.  It appeared that the two species were simply flying around chaotically.  No birds were diving, no birds were even calling.  But as I waited and watched and tracked bird after bird, I realized what was happening.  The Forester's Terns had come (most likely from islands in nearby Bellport Bay) to feed, and the Laughing Gulls came to steal.  Flying in distinct loops, the Terns searched the water below for fish - when they found one it was a quick swoop down then flying off again.  In hot pursuit were a band of Laughing Gulls, chasing and harassing the Tern until it would drop the fish back in the water where the gull could easily pick it up.  Time was slipping away far too quickly and I had to get going, but figured I would come back again the next day and really try my hand at getting "the shot".   The ChaseTwo Laughing Gulls chase a Forster's Tern hoping to steal its catch

Finding some free time in the late afternoon allowed me to keep my self-made promise of making it back (it helped that the rain held off).  I spent about an hour observing, watching, waiting and shooting, hoping to get the shot.  It was fascinating to see the adult terns catch a fish and follow the calls of their offspring while dodging gulls.  The Terns, when successful, would drop down to the water next to the coal-smudged juvenile terns, pass the fish off, and fly away.  The young birds were trying their best to catch their own fish (and not be so dependent upon mom and dad), but the gulls made it a tough task.  

Feeding Time An Adult Forster's Tern passes a Carp to its offspring The conditions were wreaking havoc on my settings as the sky was overcast - causing shots of the birds against the sky to come out properly exposed, while birds against the dark green neighboring trees resulted in a painfully slow shutter speed, blurred subjects and over-exposed highlights.  As I fiddled with my settings, something caught my eye and I watched as a Tern ripped past me, swallowing a golden fish with a gull right on its tail.  A bit more shooting and fiddling with the settings and BAM, a tern nabs a fish a few feet away from me while my eyes are buried in my settings.  Thankfully, I figured out what needed changing (an adjustment to the spot metering) and was back to watching the birds instead of my camera.  

Against the sky Against the grey sky, this Forster's Tern flew off in search of its offspring that was calling for food Golden TreatA Forster's Tern having successfully caught a young carp flies past the pond side trees With the voice in my head saying, "Just another minute, one more try" for, well, more than just a minute, I was ready to pack it in when what do you know, a Tern comes splashing down, plucking a fish a young golden-hued carp and evading the gaggle of gulls.  Success all around.  

SuccessA Forster's Tern plucks a young carp from a pond

- Luke