Black Terns

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Sibley’s description notes that their flight is “buoyant and erratic with frequent dips to the water,” a characteristic that makes it difficult to capture photos of them in flight. Ten photos of Black Terns taken at Bolivar Flats in Texas in May 2025 are below. OM-1 camera with 150-400 mm f/4.5 TC lens. Settings: 500mm, 1/1600 sec at f/5.6, ISO 250

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit.