I am not an expert when it comes to bird identification so I
am uncertain exactly which type of Tern this little fellow is. I took the photo on the pier in Naples
Florida a while back, not sure on gender or species but what got my attention
was how this bird was begging from the fishermen lined along the rails of the
pier. The larger gulls floated around on
the water about the pier and would scuffle for bits and pieces of bait or fish
scraps from a caught fish. Being no
match for the much larger gulls the Tern was pretty bold hopping up to people
and squawking to be noticed and have a morsel tossed its way. When someone did toss a bit of fish its way
it would snatch it up and consume it quickly before other birds could descend
and attempt take it away. It was
interesting to see how a much smaller bird found a way to garner food without
having to compete with birds that were bigger and more powerful. The term “opportunistic feeder” comes to
mind, a term I heard often when the discussion was about wildlife and their adaptability
of coexisting with humans.
I feel like the Tern, gleaning through photos to find one
that may have a bit of “meat” on it. In
a sense, I am an “opportunistic feeder” in my own right. In the new era of digital photography it is
effortless to snap away capturing more images than at times we have the time to
view or perform any post work on. It is
the main reason I revisit old shoots from time to time to find that one morsel
that may be worthy of another look.
Whether I find the one photo or not is not what is important, the
viewing and remembering time, place and subject is the reward. What is most interesting is that the camera
captures the image that is in front of it, however the mind’s eye captures so
much more. A simple image can cause the
reliving of a moment, the sun’s warmth or sounds of the steps on the wooden
planks and the calls of various seabirds.
Photography allows for the freezing of the moment and preserving it for
a visit on another day.
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