Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Skimmers

There are so many reasons to love birds: they are beautiful, graceful, they can fly. I could sit for hours watching Sir David Attenborough go on about birds on the nature shows. But specifically I get off on all of their way cool adaptations. And one of my favorites for this is the black skimmer. Check this out - I mean first they've got the clown coloring. (That works for puffins, too.) Then see that ridiculous longer lower bill? They use that to catch fish. This is why they are called skimmers; they fly along the surf, just inches about the water, and let that big beak skim under the water until they feel a fish with it and then snap! Away they fly to have a delicious seafood picnic on the beach.



Is that not a very cool thing?

3 comments:

Laure Ferlita said...

Beautiful images! A painting perhaps?

Matt Latham said...

I agree about birds and skimmers are amazing. I love the last image in this post.

Kelly said...

...you lucky duck! I'm so jealous. I was hoping to see one of these clowns while at the beach last week in Hilton Head, but nope...nada...none were about. I love these birds as well. That face, that bill, the way they fly over the water...