Immature Black Skimmer

[bulldurham]

This poor little guy seems to have lost his way as these shots were made in a pond about 10 miles from the Gulf of Mexico...it was my first closeup experience with a Black Skimmer.

The first shots were made with my D810 and my 80-400 mostly at ISO 1600 (no light) and the last ones (I'll note where they start) with the Sigma 150-600 Sport at ISO 400 (more light) which I find to be a nice, sharp lens but a beast to hold for any length of time.
1

2

3

4

5

6

With Sigma 150-600 Better light but he wasn't in a skimming mood

7

8

9

10

11

 

[sm4him]

It's a wonder the little ones can fly at all, with that monstrous beak to grow into!

Great set, Bull!

 

[JacaRanda]

Nice set. The last one is my favorite.

Share-ron, what's really crazy is how thin the beaks are.

 

[sm4him]

Nice set. The last one is my favorite.

Share-ron, what's really crazy is how thin the beaks are.

Yeah, I know, Jacky-ran.
The first time I got a picture of one from the front, I started to doubt my ID of Black Skimmer, because the beak was just so razor-thin.
Amazing, the education you get when you're out there taking pictures!

 

[ronlane]

Nice, I like #3 and #7.

 

[dannylightning]

great set, i am not sure i have ever seen as much as a photo of one of those before. very cool

 

[baturn]

Excellent! Would like to see that with my own old eyes. Perhaps one day soon.

 

[jcdeboever]

Neat set. My favorites are 9 & 11. 9 has nice color, depth, and composition. I love 11 for it's contrasty, colorful composition. Has a hopeful feel inside of it. Thank you for sharing a specie i I'm not familiar with.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[LarryLomona]

nice set

 

[Hunter58]

Nice set Chris. I've still not captured one skimming. I hope to this year.

 

[Hunter58]

Nice set. The last one is my favorite.

Share-ron, what's really crazy is how thin the beaks are.

Yeah, I know, Jacky-ran.
The first time I got a picture of one from the front, I started to doubt my ID of Black Skimmer, because the beak was just so razor-thin.
Amazing, the education you get when you're out there taking pictures!

You mean thin like this? (I hope Chris doesn't mind me posting in this thread)

And did you ever see the fishing hook in the back of their mouth?

 

[JacaRanda]

Nice set. The last one is my favorite.

Share-ron, what's really crazy is how thin the beaks are.

Yeah, I know, Jacky-ran.
The first time I got a picture of one from the front, I started to doubt my ID of Black Skimmer, because the beak was just so razor-thin.
Amazing, the education you get when you're out there taking pictures!

You mean thin like this? (I hope Chris doesn't mind me posting in this thread)

And did you ever see the fishing hook in the back of their mouth?

Yup and yup

 

[Tuckerjr]

Very nice

 

[bulldurham]

Got this last shot yesterday. I'm headed down to the Circle B in Middle FL and then down to Ding Darling and the Everglades for a week. As much as I love the clarity of the 150-60 Sigma Sports, I have to send it back as it's just too heavy for me for practical use. If I was a young stud with mighty guns, it would be no problem..but I am neither and when coupled to the D810, it weighs in at a whopping 9 pounds. My 80-400 is still my best lens and when Nikon gets all the kinks worked out of the 200-500, I might give it one more try. My first one wouldn't focus at all.

Black Skimmer on a nice fly by.