I photograph black skimmers every chance I get. They like to hang out at our local wildlife refuge in certain times of the year. Perfect for today's #BirdoftheDay theme of #OpenBeak. #photography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #EastCoastKin #birds #birdsinflight #blackskimmers #Nikon #Z8

"The image shows a bright white harbor building rising above a forest of sailboat masts, its clean lines and many windows catching what little light remains beneath a turbulent sky. An American flag waves boldly from a tall pole on the roof, its red and white stripes glowing faintly against a backdrop of deep storm‑gray clouds streaked with brilliant orange and gold. The sky feels alive—half‑brooding, half‑burning—as if the day is shifting between calm and chaos. Around the building swirls a dense, restless flock of black skimmers. Dozens of them slice through the air in sharp, angular paths, their long wings and dark silhouettes creating a sense of motion everywhere you look. Some birds sweep low near the masts, others arc high against the glowing sky, and a few appear almost suspended mid‑turn. Their presence gives the scene a wild, electric energy—nature in full motion against the stillness of architecture and anchored boats. The overall impression is dramatic and cinematic: a harbor at dusk or dawn, a sky on fire, and a cloud of skimmers transforming the moment into something alive, unpredictable, and unforgettable." - Microsoft Copilot

Flag and Feathers

I took this photo of hundreds of black skimmers sweeping past a prominent building near the docks in Gulfport, ...

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#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #blackskimmers #Gulfport #shorebirds

Today's #BirdoftheDay theme is #reflections. This black skimmer was feeding in the shallows of a pond in our local wildlife refuge. So much fun to photograph. #photography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #EastCoastKin #birds #birdsinflight #blackskimmers

For today’s #FourOrMore theme, I offer a minor murmuration of #BlackSkimmers and their neighbors on the local sand bar, referred informally as “Bird Island”

Not sure why they did this little dance, but it was a nice surprise and a bit stunning

#BirdOfTheDay
#Stunday
#EastCoastKin
#birds
#birding

"A wide gathering of Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger) fills the shoreline with motion, contrast, and coastal energy. Along the water’s edge, dozens of birds stand in the shallows, their long, narrow bodies angled toward the surf as if listening to the rhythm of the tide. Their plumage forms a striking pattern—deep black across the back and wings, bright white along the underside—so the flock looks almost like a field of living silhouettes edged in light. Above them, several skimmers slice through the air in low, purposeful flight. Their wings are long and sharply pointed, catching the light as they tilt and bank. The birds’ distinctive bills—vivid red at the base, black at the tips, and with the lower mandible longer than the upper—stand out even at a distance, giving each bird a slightly dramatic profile. The water is shallow and restless, small waves folding over themselves as they reach the sand. Some birds stand ankle‑deep, reflections trembling beneath them; others wade forward as if preparing to launch. The scene feels alive with layered motion: wings beating overhead, water shifting below, and the quiet, communal presence of a flock gathered at the boundary between land and sea. The overall impression is one of wild order—chaos shaped into pattern by instinct and tide." - Microsoft Copilot

Tide Dancers

Here’s a photograph of a gathering of Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger) at Gulfport, Mississippi. ...

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#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #shorebirds #blackskimmers

It's #BlueskyMonday. The blue in this case is from water that this black skimmer is gliding over while fishing. It flew right towards me, so close it filled the frame. #photography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #EastCoastKin #birds #birdsinflight #blackskimmers

"The scene opens wide and breathes. A long wooden pier stretches out over calm coastal water, its posts and covered shelters forming a steady line against a sky that refuses to settle on a single color. Above it, a sweeping flock of black skimmers fills the air—dozens of dark, slender bodies moving in loose formation, wings angled like long blades cutting through the morning light. Their silhouettes are sharp and fluid at once, each bird catching a slightly different shade of the sky behind it. The sky itself is a layered wash of blues, violets, and soft pinks, as if the day is shifting moods mid‑breath. Clouds drift in textured bands, glowing at the edges where the light touches them. Below, the beach is pale and quiet, a simple foreground that lets the drama of sky and wings take center stage. The water mirrors the colors above in muted reflection, giving the whole scene a sense of motion and stillness intertwined. The image feels like a moment caught between tides—alive with movement, yet deeply peaceful." - Microsoft Copilot

Pier, Ocean, and Avian Symphony

This is a seascape captured one morning at Gulfport, Mississippi. ...

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#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #landscape #seascape #blackskimmers #flock #sky

Today's #BirdoftheDay theme is #reflections. This black skimmer was feeding and reflecting in a shallow pond in our local wildlife refuge. #photography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #EastCoastKin #birds #birdsinflight #blackskimmers #Nikon #D500

Black Skimmers buzzing just over the heads of a flock of seagulls. Anastasia Island, Florida.

Seagulls and Skimmers...total chaos!
A colony of Black Skimmers buzz a flock of Seagulls.
#Wildlife
#Birds
#BlackSkimmers
#Seagulls

On a Florida beach a group of Black skimmer seabirds is joined by a single white Caspian tern.

The theme of today's #BlueSkyArtShow is #One. There's always one....

#photography #birds #Blackskimmers #Caspiantern

"The sky is a vast canvas, brushed with soft pastels—lavender, blush, and powder blue—where light and cloud mingle in gentle layers. Against this dreamy backdrop, a sweeping flock of black skimmers arcs across the heavens in synchronized flight. Their wings slice the air in rhythmic unison, long and slender, with black upperparts and white underbellies flashing in motion. The birds form a loose, undulating wave—some clustered, others trailing—like a living ribbon stitched across the sky. Their lower mandibles, longer than the upper, hint at their namesake behavior, though here they are airborne, not skimming water. The scene feels ceremonial, as if the flock is performing a rite of passage or seasonal migration, their silhouettes dancing in the light between cloud and clarity. The image captures motion, unity, and the quiet grandeur of nature’s choreography." - Microsoft Copilot

Skimmer Sky

In this photograph, hundreds of black skimmers (Rynchops niger) fill the frame, sweeping from right to left across a ...

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#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #shorebirds #blackskimmers

"The image captures a fleeting moment of grace and motion as a flock of shorebirds passes over a calm body of water. In the foreground, royal terns glide with elegance—slender seabirds with pale bodies, sharp orange beaks, and black crests swept back like windblown crowns. Their wings are long and pointed, slicing through the air with precision, each bird suspended mid-flight in a posture of effortless command. Behind them, black skimmers trail in formation—lower to the water, darker in plumage, and unmistakable with their elongated lower mandibles glowing orange-red. Their flight is purposeful and low, as if skimming the surface for secrets. The contrast between the pale terns and the shadowed skimmers creates a layered choreography—light and dark, high and low, swift and deliberate. The water below is serene, a muted mirror that reflects the soft light of day. It offers no ripples, only a quiet stage for the airborne procession. The birds’ wings are caught in various positions—some arched, some outstretched—suggesting motion, rhythm, and the silent coordination of a shared journey. The image is signed “© Swede’s Photographs” in the bottom right corner, a quiet nod to the witness behind the lens." - Microsoft Copilot

Passing in Formation

I captured this image of a flock of birds passing over the water at Gulfport, Mississippi. ...

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#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #shorebirds #RoyalTerns #BlackSkimmers

Videography, obviously, is not my thing. Still, sometimes you are given something you aren’t prepared for — and you improvise

It’s not a murmation of Starlings, but a colony of #BlackSkimmers suddenly erupting into coordinated flight is pretty cool

Anyway, I found it stunning.

#Stunday
#beach

I had dreamed of this. The #movement of #BlackSkimmers is necessary for them to feed! Something else to watch!
#BirdoftheDay
#EastCoastKin #🪶 #birds #birdwatching #nature
#wildlife #bird #birdsofbluesky
#birdphotography #photography #art #animal #BlueskyArtShow #PhotographersUnited #Florida

"A vast flock of black skimmers fills the sky in sweeping motion, their wings outstretched like brushstrokes across a canvas of clouds and blue. Each bird is marked by striking black-and-white plumage: dark upperparts, white underbellies, and vivid red-orange beaks that taper into sharp, blade-like tips. Their flight is synchronized yet fluid—some birds banking left, others gliding straight, forming a living tapestry of motion and instinct. The sky behind them is partly cloudy, with soft white patches drifting across a backdrop of pale blue. The light filters through the clouds, casting a gentle glow that outlines the birds in silhouette and detail. The sheer number of skimmers creates a sense of scale and rhythm—like a murmuration, but with the deliberate grace of long-winged gliders. Their beaks, specialized for skimming the water’s surface, remain closed in flight, but their presence evokes the coastal rituals they perform below. This moment, captured mid-air, is not just migration—it’s choreography. The photograph freezes a sovereign act of collective movement, a ceremony of wings and wind." - Microsoft Copilot

The Birds

These are black skimmers (Rynchops niger), I took this at Gulfport, Mississippi.

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#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #flock #shosrebirds #BlackSkimmers

"A vast congregation of black skimmers sweeps across the sky in a unified arc, their slender wings slicing through the air like ceremonial blades. Each bird is silhouetted against a twilight canvas—where the sky shifts from deep ocean blue to soft coral pink, suggesting either the hush of dawn or the farewell of dusk. Their long, narrow wings and distinctive beaks—lower mandibles extended like skimming tools—create a rhythmic pattern of motion, as if the flock itself were a living scroll of calligraphy unfurling across the heavens. Below them, the ocean lies dark and rippled, a quiet witness to the aerial procession. The water reflects the muted light of the sky, echoing its colors in subdued tones. The horizon is blurred, as if the boundary between sea and sky has momentarily dissolved, allowing the birds to traverse both realms. The scene feels mythic—like a sovereign rite of passage performed by winged scribes over a coastal altar. The flock moves not in chaos but in choreography, each skimmer attuned to the others, their flight a collective act of grace and precision. The air seems to hum with their presence, and the moment feels suspended—an offering of motion, light, and kinship to the watching world." - Microsoft Copilot

Wings of the Horizon

In this photograph, a dark ocean stretches across the foreground, ...

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#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #shosrebirds #flock #horizon #ocean #GulfofMexico #BlackSkimmers

"A vast congregation of black skimmers blankets a sunlit coastal beach, their bodies forming a living tapestry of black, white, and flame-orange. Each bird stands poised on the pale sand, their sleek black backs and white underbellies creating a rhythmic contrast, like brushstrokes across a canvas. Their most striking feature—their vivid orange beaks—gleam in the light, with the lower mandible noticeably longer, hinting at their unique feeding ritual of skimming the water’s surface. The skimmers are densely packed, shoulder to shoulder, facing in similar directions as if aligned by an unseen current or collective instinct. Some rest quietly, others shift slightly, their wings tucked neatly against their sides. The beach itself is smooth and open, stretching toward a soft blur of water in the background, where the horizon meets the sky in a gentle wash of blue and gray. There’s a sense of ceremony in their gathering—an avian parliament or a coastal vigil—where each bird plays a role in the larger choreography of rest, readiness, and rhythm. The image captures not just a moment, but a phenomenon: the unity of movement, the quiet power of numbers, and the elegance of adaptation." - Microsoft Copilot

Skimmer Assembly

I wanted to share this glimpse of black skimmers (Rynchops niger) gathered along the beach—especially for those who ...

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#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #shorebirds #BlackSkimmers

For #FlyDay and for the #BirdOfTheDay #flying prompt, I offer two #BlackSkimmers gracefully cruising just above the shallow surf to snatch a snack from the water

We have the bonus of one of the birds creating a fleeting “water scar” as it skims, and we get a warm glow on the birds from golden hour

"A dense congregation of black skimmers blankets the sandy shore like a living tapestry. Their bodies form a rhythmic pattern—black upper feathers like ink strokes, white underbellies like parchment, and each beak a vivid slash of orange-red, tipped with a lower mandible that juts forward like a blade designed for slicing water. The flock is tightly packed, shoulder to shoulder, creating a visual hum of unity and purpose. From above, the scene resembles a ceremonial gathering—each bird a participant in a silent rite of rest or readiness. The sand beneath them is pale and unobtrusive, a neutral stage for their striking plumage. The sheer number of birds creates a mesmerizing texture, like a woven fabric of feathers and beaks, pulsing with quiet energy. Though still, the image feels alive—charged with the potential of sudden flight, as if the entire flock might lift in synchronized motion at the slightest cue. There’s no horizon visible, no sky—only the intimate geometry of bodies and the suggestion of wind and salt. It’s a portrait of collective presence, of instinctual choreography, and of the mythic quiet that precedes movement" - Microsoft Copilot

The Waiting Flock

One year, during an overnight stay in Gulfport, Mississippi, the beach was alive with flocks of black skimmers (Rynchops niger). ...

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#photo #photography #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #shorebirds #BlackSkimmers

Black Skimmers at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR (September 3, 2025)

#birds #blackskimmers #shorebirds #nature #photography #nikond500

Sometimes a colony will just decide to get airborne, with no observed triggering cause. It’s quite a thing to experience.

I love living near #BlackSkimmers! They are so elegant and weird at the same time!

These are my watercolor paintings of some black skimmer birds that I was inspired to paint after seeing a flock nesting at Navarre Beach, FL. fineartamerica.com/featured/bla...
#mattstarrfineart #art #giftidea #blackskimmer #blackskimmers #bird #birds #sea #island #Florida #NavarreBeach #chick

Skimmers and Royals in Midair Accord "A flurry of wings cuts across a backdrop of soft, blue-gray water—smooth as brushed steel. In the frame, royal terns (Thalasseus maximus) and black skimmers (Rynchops niger) take to the air in a moment of shared flight. The royal terns flash white and ash with crisp black caps and striking orange beaks, their wings stretched high in graceful arcs, like calligraphic strokes in motion. Skimmers twist alongside them, sleek and slightly darker—dressed in a tuxedo of black and white with bold, red-tipped mandibles that almost look painted on. Their wingbeats are staggered, some birds gliding, others just lifting off, creating a layered rhythm of motion. There’s a hushed energy in their formation—not quite chaos, not quite order—just the shared momentum of shorebirds lifted by coastal wind. The ocean reflects their forms faintly, like ghosts following the living across a muted mirror." - Copilot

Good morning. 😴😫☕

3 June 2025

I’ve definitely got a case of morning-head today. First thing I did? Spilled the beans—literally. I went to fill the grinder and ended up scattering coffee beans all over the counter. ...

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#morning #responsibility #birds #shorebirds #RoyalTerns #BlackSkimmers

Skimmers skim! Until this encounter, I had never seen Black Skimmers skimming, only flying by or loafing on a beach. So, I was pretty excited, maybe even a bit giddy to see, photo it. #🪶 #birds #birdwatching #nature #blackskimmers #shorebirds #bird #birding #wildlifephotography #birdphotography

Skimmers skim! Until this encounter, I had never seen Black Skimmers skimming, only flying by or loafing on a beach. So, I was pretty excited, maybe even a bit giddy to see, photo it.
#🪶 #birds #birdwatching #nature #blackskimmers #shorebirds #bird #birding #wildlifephotography
#birdphotography

A group of black skimmers nesting on a beach. Two prominent birds in the are stretching their wings toward the sky. One bird is missing his right foot, but it doesn't appear to affect him.

Little guy in front may be missing a foot, but that won't stop him from jumping for joy because it's Fri-YAY!

#birds #photography #waterbirds #nature #blackskimmers
#birdphotography

Dance of the Skimmers "This striking image captures a flock of black skimmers gracefully soaring through the sky, their wings outstretched in various positions. The birds move in harmony, creating a sense of fluidity and elegance. The backdrop of the sky, blending soft blue and orange tones, adds warmth and depth to the scene. This composition beautifully highlights the unique flight patterns and wing shapes of black skimmers, showcasing their natural behavior in motion." - Copilot

Good morning. 😴🥱💤

27 May 2025

I woke just after three this morning to the rumble of a passing thunderstorm. ...

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#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #morning #storm #sleep #flock #BlackSkimmers

Black skimmers

Foot running on the beach

Beach in the morning

Black skimmer about to skim

Brief pre- @vssmtg.bsky.social beach run this morning. The #BlackSkimmers were up chatting and ... skimming
#vss2025

Birds in Monochrome Flight "This striking black-and-white image portrays a flock of black skimmers (Rynchops niger) gracefully flying above the Gulf of Mexico. The birds are captured in a variety of mid-flight positions, showcasing their long, slender wings and distinctive bill structure. The ocean below appears tranquil, with a lone vertical post in the water adding subtle contrast to the serene scene. The overcast sky accentuates the monochromatic beauty of the photograph, bringing out the elegance of the flock's synchronized movement. The image is credited to "Swede's Photographs," as indicated in the top right corner." - Copilot

Good morning. ☕☕☕

14 April 2025

Do you ever feel that sense of morning haze, where all you want is to lie back, ...

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#photo #photography #photographer #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #morning #monday #BlackSkimmers #BlackandWhite #BrainFog

Harmony in Chaos "This image shows a stunning flock of black skimmers soaring above a body of water. Their unique black and white plumage contrasts beautifully with their vivid red beaks, creating an eye-catching display. The scene is alive with motion as the birds take flight, their movements weaving a mesmerizing pattern against the water backdrop. This captures the essence of black skimmers, celebrated for their graceful and specialized feeding method—skimming the water's surface for their meals." - Copilot

Good morning. ☁️🌧️😪

30 March 2025

I believe the barometric pressure is on the lower side of normal, which might contribute to the feeling of sleepiness. ...

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#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #BlackSkimmers

Bound for the Clouds The image portrays a striking scene of black skimmers silhouetted in flight, flocking in a graceful formation across the sky. They stretch in a long, elegant line against a backdrop of textured, cloudy skies. The group, spanning three to five birds in width, angles gently upward, as if ascending toward the heavens. The black-and-white composition enhances the contrast between the birds and their atmospheric surroundings, highlighting their movement and harmony.

Good morning. ☁️🕊️☁️

5 March 2025

I need to get a haircut, but since today is Wednesday, my barber is closed. Funny enough, ...

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#photo #photography #photographer #wildlife #nature #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #morning #haircut #BlackSkimmers #flock #BlackandWhite #silhouettes