A lone Black Skimmer was fishing for his dinner at the end of the day.

Here you can clearly see the lower jaw extends much further than the upper…

…making it easier to snag prey from the water.

This is my favorite from this set, even though he got so close I cut his wings off.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
January 18, 2023
Beautiful twinkle in the eye in the close-up. It doesn’t matter that it was wing-cropped, an even harder crop creates more drama with the focus on the head and beak.
Thanks, Hans! And they have odd, very black eyes in most light and you don’t always get a catch-light.
Nice action shots !
Thanks, Rudi!
Fantastic photos, Ellen!