Recently, there’s been a lot of talk about a lack of oil skimmers in the Gulf. Another kind of skimmer, the Black Skimmer, is native to Florida and much more pleasant to watch than the other kind.
Black skimmers have a unique way of feeding. They fly along at the water’s edge and use their longer lower bill to penetrate the water scoop up small fish.
Their method works really well, this black skimmer has caught a small jack.
During the months of May and June, the FWC set aside a protected breeding area on Cocoa Beach where the black skimmers could nest undisturbed which gave me a chance to get these photos.
One day while walking down on the beach, I saw a black skimmer sitting on her nest away from the protected breeding area, I assumed she was tending to her eggs and gave her plenty of room. On my way back by, I saw a man standing over the spot where she had been nesting, she was flying around the man who appeared to be ignorant of the circling and terrified hen skimmer. As I approached the man, he said to me “A bird just laid an egg”, which was lying at his feet. I then pointed out the circling skimmer, and told him he was disturbing a nesting bird, and to please leave the bird alone and that he was breaking the law. He stayed anyway, pointing to the egg as other beach walkers passed. I watched and he eventually left, I didn’t have my cell phone to call the law because I like to unplug at the beach.
As I watch these skimmers unique method of feeding on the beach, I wonder about all the skimmers in the northern Gulf and the impact of the oil on Panhandle beaches from the worst environmental disaster in American history. You can help by supporting groups like the International Bird Rescue Recourse Center, purchasing Dawn products and giving nesting birds their space.
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