Black Skimmers are migratory, and they are known to colonize in the spring near my home in Destin, Florida. These mostly black birds, with white underbellies, use their oddly shaped and brilliantly colored beaks to skim the water’s surface for small fish while still flying/coasting. They move quite rapidly across the water in search of sustenance for not only themselves, but for the rest of the family back at their nest. This particular Black Skimmer’s “skimming” was clearly successful, and I was able to capture him returning to his nest with his fresh catch. He seemed a bit curious about me, as he actually altered his course to fly directly towards me. At the very last instant he turned back towards his nest. He came within five feet of me, making for an exhilarating moment. One of the few things I enjoy more than capturing these once-in-a-lifetime moments is learning about the wildlife I'm observing, and this capture helped me to better understand and appreciate just how narrow and thin skimmers’ beaks are. To me, this makes their fishing skills even more impressive.
