Landing Black Skimmer – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1500, ISO 250, Nikkor 70-300mm VR at 300mm, natural light
Black Skimmers are known by several nicknames which include scissorbills, knifebill and cut-water, for how their bills slice through the water when they are hunting and how their bills snap shut on prey.
They are also called flying beagle and sea-dog because of the yipping sound they make that can sound like a small dog.
I photographed this landing Black Skimmer at the north beach of Fort De Soto County Park as it came into for a landing near a resting flock of skimmers, I was fortunate that it landed far enough away from them to be able to isolate the skimmer from the rest of the birds.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Black Skimmer photos plus facts and information about this species.
excelent timing, very good move well captured, bravo mia
Wow.
What a wingspread. Oh mine!
Wow. And thank you.
Wonderful picture – this is a bird I really want to see!
Cheers – Stewart M – Melbourne
Beautiful shot! Love the facial expression; it looks like one of satisfaction.
No photo for me in this post. Just a little blue box with a white question mark in it. But I tried clicking on that, and then the photo came up. It’s a beautiful shot!
Great catch Mia.
Great timing, Mia. They’re one of the American birds I’d really love to see, especially if they were fishing. It’s unlikely in the US but I hope there might be some on my Costa Rican trip in the 2nd half of January. That bill is just incredible.