Growing up a skimmer

On September 10, 2019September 10, 2019 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

In mid-July the baby black skimmers were growing up quickly and heading out on their own. Many were already down at the water line and practicing their wing flaps.

There were still a few younger ones including the one on the left with a young royal tern and much older juvenile skimmer on the right.

Soon the babies will start flying and leave along with the parents and then all that’s left on the beaches are those annoying laughing gulls, looking to steal some kid’s sandwich or chips.

A small part of the skimmer army, lined up along the water.

Photographing New Zealand

Those cute little sand babies

On August 20, 2019August 20, 2019 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

This baby was begging Mom to go get a fish. He was hungry, biting the parent’s beak and legs.

So many mouths to feed.

This one above appeared hungry but realized he would not be able to get that big fish down. After a few minutes he just sat down and wouldn’t take the fish from the parent. Maybe the parent had already fed them. The fish ended up in the sand.

It took this one a while but he eventually got it down.

After a while all of the babies were napping.

Another bumper crop of black skimmer babies this summer on the beaches in the Tampa bay area. So many babies and the parents were flying back and forth with tiny bait fish to feed them. I always wonder how the parents can find their own babies in a sea of little birds.

Photographing New Zealand

Fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner

On October 9, 2018October 9, 2018 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

All of the baby skimmers were screaming for fish.

Parents were flying in with breakfast.

All the babies were swallowing the fish whole. Although, I don’t think that’s a fish in that last picture. I think he was trying to eat some random item on the beach.

It’s interesting how each parent can find their own babies among the many babies all huddled nearby. The adults were very aggressive, some trying to steal fish from other babies to feed to their own babies.

More shots from my morning with the baby skimmers on the beach in late July.

Linking to Wednesday Around the World.

Learning to swim and skim.

On October 1, 2016October 1, 2016 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography6 Comments

I was fortunate enough to spend a few minutes on a Saturday morning this summer watching baby skimmers learning to do things that adult skimmer do. They were trying to imitate what their parents were doing. Getting their feet wet and trying to figure out what all the fuss was about putting your beak in the water. Soon they’ll be experts at it themselves.

Linking to Saturday’s Critters

The cutest babies of all

On August 6, 2016August 6, 2016 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

“I am Skippy the Skimmer and I am the cutest one here.”

“Me first.”

“This is my fish.”

“I’m Sparky the Skimmer and I am a little bit older. I’m starting to get color in my feathers and my beak is getting longer.”

“Where’s my Mom? You’re not suppose to bother me, Least tern.” said the baby skimmer. “But you look tasty and I’m hungry” said the juvenile Least tern.

“Stay away from my baby!” said the adult skimmer.

“You stay away as well”

“I’m sticking close to mom”.

“Who me? I’m not going anywhere.”

“Mom, where’s my fish?”

“I pretend to be brave but now I’m scared and running to hide under Mom.”

“I’m Stanley, one of the oldest babies skimmers here. I’m almost grown up and just learning to fly. I’m also learning to brake.”

I didn’t make it to see the baby black skimmers until late July. I was expecting to see them all grown up but this was a late year and there were still many tiny babies. The babies have a lot against them. Between the tourists getting too close, the crows and laughing gulls trying to get a meal and the risk of high tide, it’s a hard knock life for a little bird. If the tiny babies wander away from the roped off area, a tourist could easily not see him blending into the sand and step on him. If we get another bad storm like Colin back in early June, the tide could get too high and the little babies can’t swim yet or fly away. But, hopefully most make it through. I took so many pictures of these cute little guys so there are tons more to come.

Linking to Saturday’s Critters

Arguing over a little fish

On August 10, 2015August 11, 2015 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography11 Comments

Back in late July, I was able to stop by the black skimmer nesting site after work. The sun was out and it was a beautiful night. I got there just in time for dinner. Adult skimmers were flying back and forth with fish for the babies. Many of the siblings were fighting over who got the fish. It’s amazing how those fish can fit in those tiny stomachs. Made me want to head home for dinner.

Our World Tuesday Graphic image-in-ing

Teeny tiny baby skimmers

On August 17, 2013August 22, 2020 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography14 Comments

Only child! (I don’t think that other egg in the back is going to hatch. None of the other birds where claiming it.)

Family portrait. This couple was going to be busy feeding three.

“Mom, I’m hungry.”

“Who gets the first fish?” The one closest to the parent must have been a day old. He still had wet feathers.

“Ohhhhh!” That fish is almost as big as the baby.

Going down.

This one got a tiny fish.

It’s summer and too hot to be inland so I’ve been heading to the beaches more. That means more baby shorebirds. I can’t help but keep visiting the skimmer colony to see the babies. Most of the eggs have hatched even though there are still a few late bloomers coming. There are hundreds of teeny tiny babies running around the roped off area. The parents are busy flying back and forth between the surf and the nests bringing in fish for the babies. Right before sunset is the busiest with babies being fed one last time before dark. I just plop down on the sand and watch the tiny skimmer world in action. It’s like watching “The Truman Show” for birds. I hope you don’t get too bored with my baby skimmer pictures. My hubby asks me “How many pictures are you going to take of those birds?” My answer? “Thousands.”

Camera Critters