A new one for me - the black tern.


I don't really consider myself a bird-watcher.  Although I find them fascinating, without a camera in my hands they are little more than a mild interest.  It's the same with my passion for photographing other wildlife and all things diminutive; awesome to behold for a moment and then it's back to whatever I was doing when a camera isn't slung around my neck.

I suppose the camera allows me to flex my alter-ego.  Mild-mannered naturalist without one and then, as soon as I get a DSLR in my hands, a raving, bonified, enthusiast.  Perhaps I should wear a mask and cape when I venture outdoors in photo-mode.  Or maybe all I need is a good pair of contacts.  

Occasionally, I find myself in the situation where I come upon a dramatic scene that begs capturing and I am without my faithful electronic sidekick.  I feel somewhat like Clark Kent when pressed with an emergency and there is no phonebooth handy (I wonder how Superman-of-old would fair today in such a booth-anemic environment).  Such a situation happened to me last summer while I was out enjoying an evening stroll.

I enjoy being outdoors, with or without a camera, mostly because it gets me close to nature which seems to be a balm for my soul.  While out for a brisk walk as dusk was approaching I saw an unusual bird zipping back and forth over a pond I was approaching.  Clearly, this was a job for ... Camera Guy!

So, I ran back and grabbed my gear.  I find that these circumstances often fizzle out as the subject usually leaves by the time I get around to getting pictures.  In this case I was fortunate; the bird was still about its business.  Quickly setting the camera's controls (one of my superpowers), I hoisted the weapon and directed it towards my quarry.  I was going to capture a record of its existence once and for all.

Over a hundred frames later I had achieved my goal.  My nemesis had been laid to rest.  The elusive black tern had been captured.  I could go back to my mild-mannered state.  That is until I got my images onto my laptop.  Then it became a job for ... Computer Guy!

Thanks for reading.   www.ericspix.com



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