A plethora of Skimmers

[Didereaux]

We don't usually get large flocks of Black Skimmers. On the Dike this morning there were 3 flocks of 200+ or more.

...one in every crowd!

sound asleep

this one cooperated

...a sampling of the gang

 

[LarryLomona]

Wow!

 

[WesternGuy]

Nice shots, the last one reminds me of my recent trip to Bosque - thousands of geese and cranes in similar flocks. Any explanation of why so many skimmers in one place? Migration?

WesternGuy

 

[Didereaux]

Nice shots, the last one reminds me of my recent trip to Bosque - thousands of geese and cranes in similar flocks. Any explanation of why so many skimmers in one place? Migration?

WesternGuy

Well they are migratory, and this is an area they winter in, but they usually stay on the shores of the Gulf in scattered groups. This bunch was on Galveston Bay. I suspect that weird weather front that did so much damage this past weekend had something to do with concentrating them. Nothing really normal about migrations this year. ducks and geese from Canada scattered all over the place because the weather stayed warm up in the plains and so food was plentiful, when they finally came down here the drought had broken big-time and there was water and habitat everywhere so again no concentrations. Lat year I stood in the middle of 8-10000 Snow Geese and took pictures. This year the largest flock was 400 or so.

 

[JamesScott86]

Terrific shots well composed. Thanks for sharing.

 

[dannylightning]

crazy,, great shots.

 

[baturn]

Great stuff!

 

[NancyMoranG]

Really like that last one. I was hoping to get similar shot of swans as we are volunteering at a wildlife refuge in .N.C.
They are too scattered or at an area that is off limits...

 

[Hunter58]

Nice. I like the 2nd shot. They are tough to isolate when they are in large groups.