This Black Skimmer gave me a good show with the early morning sun highlighting his black and orange beak, in contrast to last week’s pair that I photographed in poor light.
I had a great view and was able to track his path as he crossed the pond with his lower jaw in the water.
He finally lifted, before making a big turn for another pass.
Click on any image for a closer view.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC, 7/1/2018.
These Black Skimmers chose to do their skimming in the pond between me and the sun, rather than the prettier marsh on the other side of the dike where the light was beautiful.
The light here doesn’t do justice to their gorgeous orange beaks, but you can see how elegantly Skimmers fly and hunt. When in pairs the almost always fly with their wing beats synchronized.
Swooping around a small island the pair pulled tight together before turning for another long run.
Then they disappeared down an inlet, not to return while I was in the area.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC, 6/27/2018.
The tide was almost low and the shallow inlet water was attracting a number of shore birds looking for a meal, including a few Black Skimmers. My view wasn’t great and some tall grass partially obstructed the action, but watching these gorgeous birds skim for food is fascinating.
The flying gull and wading Tricolored Heron paid no head to the speeding Skimmer.
The Skimmer made a practiced move of a quick look underneath and behind.
The Tricolored Heron was not giving up his spot.
Gracefully the Skimmer banked, skirted the heron and headed across the inlet.
Click any image for a closer view.
A mud flat is created when the SC Department of Natural Resources lets the water out of a section of the old rice fields at Bear Island Wildlife Management Area. The little shore “peeps” of all varieties gather for feeding.
The Least Sandpiper is one of the smallest of the little “peeps” that wade through the mud, foraging for food.
It’s fascinating to see the flocks take off in one motion and fly as a group to a new location.
The Cormorant was swimming low in the water with his catch, probably a crab based on the parts you can see sticking out in a couple of the images.
Alas, a Laughing Gull spotted him and dropped in for a closer look.
The Cormarant dodged the gull and kept his prize.
The gull rose up a for another try.
Attracted by the activity a second gull joined in the harrassment.
The Cormarant dodged the interlopers and swallowed his lunch before the gulls re-grouped.
Click on any photo for a larger view of the action.
On a recent visit to Bear Island Wildlife Management area a few small flocks of American Avocets were feeding in some of the shallow impoundments. The one on the left below with the pretty brown head is displaying breeding colors while the white one on the right is non-breeding.
Several Bald Eagles are nesting in the area and one had just had an unsuccessful dive at the other end of this impoundment. When the Eagle soared over the Avocets took off in a panic.
Once in the air they tried to group together.
The Eagle didn’t pursue them but they didn’t wait around to find out.
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We arrived at Bear Island Wildlife Management area just before the sun came up this morning. A few American Avocets were sitting in the shallow water and reflected the sun’s first glow.
As we progressed around the impoundments throughout the morning there were several other areas with feeding Avocets. There were a few groups but they mostly fed on their own.
This pair in flight shows off the Avocet’s gorgeous colors and their upturned beak.
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I spotted this group of Sanderlings driving along Indian River Lagoon in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The immediately took off, but returned with a flourish in just a few minutes.
I’ve usually seen them running along the surf, but this one loan Sanderling took a dip in water up to his belly.
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I got another opportunity to photograph Black Skimmers last week when a small group along with some Terns visited the same sand bar where I saw them two weeks ago. This Royal Tern had a few things to say.
When I first spotted them there were some Pelicans in the mix but they didn’t hang around. The tide was nearly out and this group of smaller birds seemed content to let the water lap around their legs. I didn’t see any of them feeding.
After the tide turned they shifted as a group a few times, going into the air, doing a few loops and settling just a couple dozen feet from where they started. It was only when a couple of bicyclists and a family with a baby carriage came along that they left.
Click on any photo for a larger view.
Although I have seen a Willet in flight it is more common to see them walking the shore, poking the surf and sand for food.
I didn’t see where he captured this fish but he took it to a wide open expanse of beach to consume it, alone. It’s size slowed him down. Just swallowing it wasn’t an option.
The pools left by the falling tide attract the Willets. Calmer than the ocean surf they often are a concentrated food source as the water drains away.
They will completely immerse their heads looking for food, tipping like a bobbing garden ornament.
