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Archive 2015 · Black Skimmer behavior

  
 
OBXGuide
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Black Skimmer behavior


I was just looking at someone's gallery and saw a Black Skimmer resting image, which reminded me of the time some years ago I was driving along the beach and saw what I thought was a dead bird, back before I had a long enough lens for birds. I snapped a shot before I approached, just in case it wasn't dead, and sure enough, as I approached it raised up and stood up, and watched me for a bit before flying off.

Enlarging the shot and examining it now I can see it was facing away from me, lying on its stomach, but over to one side, and the bill tip and eye are just barely visible from my angle.

Just wondering if anyone else has ever witnessed this resting behavior of the Black Skimmer, which from what I read is not unique to this bird, but is very uncommon among birds overall.







Black Skimmer resting




Feb 20, 2015 at 12:08 PM
KirkB
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Black Skimmer behavior


Interesting. I've never seen this behavior Fred, and the chances are remote (but not impossible) for me to witness it at the two locations in SoCal where I photograph Skimmers. The "resting" areas they choose are far enough away and guarded by either fences or water, that it would be difficult to see. They're only here for the early summer months, so this year I'll check to see if any of them spend any time "resting" on the shore. TFS.

Kirk



Feb 20, 2015 at 12:29 PM
Herb Houghton
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Black Skimmer behavior


I've witnessed and photographed this behavior for seven years or so. I've especially noticed adults doing this in the cooler wet sand during mid day hot temperatures. I thought they were trying to cool down. I've also seen many chicks do this at an early age, maybe instinctively Or from watching the adults do it. It seems to keep them calm and they blend in better on the beach, especially when ground nesters are so susceptible to predation until they can fly away from a gull or falcon.


Feb 20, 2015 at 12:43 PM





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