Black Skimmers look a bit awkward just standing around.
A lone Black-necked Stilt was sharing their resting space on the dried out pond.
This is a former rice field pond where the water was drained as a natural vegetation control. The hope is that unwanted grasses and other plants that eventually would choke the pond will die.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
May 15, 2022
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
May 9, 2022
Another selection of Black Skimmers where the light was poor but the action was interesting as the birds wove around Alligators.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
May 15, 2022
The light was poor but the Black Skimmer action was outstanding.
The water had been allowed to drain from this pond for a few weeks as part of the vegetation overgrowth control efforts.
This left a very narrow strip of water where the fish were concentrated.
Some shore birds were feeding on the water’s edge and Black Skimmers were busy scooping up breakfast.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
May 15, 2022
Usually I crop bird-in-flight images rectangularly to emphasize the flight path, but this first image worked better in a 1X1 format because he was closer to the right edge of the frame.
So I picked out some others that also worked square to go with it.
The Skimmers are fascinating to watch, first flying so close together, then separating on some unseen clue.
This next one is not the perfect mirror image capture that I would have preferred. But I like it for the shadow in addition to the reflection, the second Skimmer’s wing hinting of more action, and the still visible furrow in the water where the first Skimmer had just lifted.
And I couldn’t resist another image of the Black Skimmer passing the Roseate Spoonbills.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
May 9, 2022
Coming through!
Impressive flying by the Skimmers
While the Spoonbills were doing their own thing
May 9, 2022
A Black Skimmer entertained me early one morning with his graceful water-level hunting on an old rice field pond.
All I saw him catch on that pass was a strand of grass.
July 4, 2021
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
I had been watching this Black Skimmer work his way around the inlets at Shem Creek at low tide.
I suspect he had a nest nearby as after this pass he took his catch out into the mouth of the creek…
… caught up to…
…and passed a Brown Pelican.
He disappeared from my sight. The Pelican stayed his course, gliding the whole time.
Black Skimmers are one of my favorite birds to see at the beach. They have a snazzy color combo and a rather goofy looking body.
The protruding lower jaw allows them to scoop fish out of the water in a way that gives them their name.
This group was re-positioning as the incoming tide started covering the sand bar.
The noise of a flock of birds reached my brain as I was concentrating on some Willets in the beach surf. Ah, Skimmers!
I diverted my attention and dropped down to my knees, hoping the flock would show off their skimming skills right in front of me.
Alas, they had other ideas.
And soon disappeared from my sight.
