Black Skimmer
Rynchops niger
The Black Skimmer is a specialist feeder. Though it may not look like the rest of its cousins, it is considered a proper member of the tern family. It’s a mesmerizing sight to watch these birds forage over the waters of a bay or lagoon. Especially on a calm morning or evening over still water, with wings held high so they won’t touch the water surface, leaving behind only a long “V” wake. When they contact a small fish with their bill, it snaps shut as if spring loaded, and is one of the fastest actions in nature.
These birds are members of the tern nesting community in South San Diego Bay, where I have been privileged to accompany biologists on their tern surveys during nesting season. Caspian Terns have a reputation for aggressiveness and attacking intruders, but the only blood-letting episode I have witnessed was caused by a Black Skimmer wing-whipping my friend Brian from behind, giving him a bloody ear.
From 1966 to 2015, the Black Skimmer has decreased its population by 4% per year, resulting in a population reduction of 87% over that period. They have been designated as a “species of high concern”. There are many obstacles to their nesting success, not the least of which is their dependence on beach sites loved by homosapiens for recreation.
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: South San Diego Bay near the Chula Vista Marina. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:08:05 7:12 |
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Location:
Boal |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1500 |
File Name: JCD4816.BlackSkimmer |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Black Skimmer Chick(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Juvenile trying to hide in Gull-billed Tern 'nest'. Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. |
Date Taken: 2003:07:22 7:59 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: |
File Name: A3G22b29-BlackSkimmer-Chick |
| © 2003 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: The bill closing reaction of the skimmer is said to be on of the fastest in nature. Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:27 11:25 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 370 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD9901.BlackSkimmer |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Black Skimmer Eggs(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:27 10:58 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 490 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD9844.BlackSkimmer.Egg_ |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Black Skimmer Eggs(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:27 10:57 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 490 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD9842.BlackSkimmer.Egg_ |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:20 10:39 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 310 mm, f/6.3, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD9182.BlackSkimmer |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: South San Diego Bay near the Chula Vista Marina. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:08:05 7:13 |
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Location:
J-Street |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: JCD4832.BlackSkimmer |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology in Camarillo, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:02 12:48 |
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Location:
W F V Z |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/11.0, 1/3 |
File Name: D3X4736-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Near Lindsey Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:07:06 6:43 |
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Location:
Fondo |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: JCD2938.BlackSkimmer |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Near Lindsey Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:07:05 8:02 |
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Location:
Fondo |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD1962.BlackSkimmer |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Near Lindsey Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:07:05 8:02 |
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Location:
Fondo |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/2500 |
File Name: JCD1953.BlackSkimmer |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Taking to wings from North Mission Bay by the Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Marsh Reserve. San Diego County California USA 2008-11-02. |
Date Taken: 2008:11:02 10:11 |
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Location:
Kendall-Frost Marsh |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/160 |
File Name: jcd0881BlackSkimmer |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:06:03 10:42 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 390 mm, f/9.0, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD0661.BlackSkimmer |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:05:27 12:47 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/1500 |
File Name: JCD0023.BlackSkimmer |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertibrate Zoology in Camarillo, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:02 12:54 |
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Location:
W F V Z |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/11.0, 1/4 |
File Name: D3X4740-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology in Camarillo, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:02 12:51 |
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Location:
W F V Z |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/11.0, 1/3 |
File Name: D3X4739-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Tern survey day at the Saltworks, part of the San Diego National Wildlife Complex. Near Imperial Beach, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:07:08 11:08 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 400 mm, f/13.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X2291-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: North Mission Bay by the Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Marsh Reserve. San Diego County California USA 2008-10-05. |
Date Taken: 2008:10:05 8:54 |
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Location:
Kendall-Frost Marsh |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: jcd1890BlackSkimmer |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Loafing on North Mission Bay by the Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Marsh Reserve. San Diego County California USA 2008-11-02. |
Date Taken: 2008:11:02 9:57 |
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Location:
Kendall-Frost Marsh |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/200 |
File Name: jcd0773BlackSkimmer |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:06:08 10:10 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1600 |
File Name: JCD9435-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Tern survey day at the Saltworks, part of the San Diego National Wildlife Complex. Near Imperial Beach, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:07:08 13:06 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 400 mm, f/9.0, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X2644-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Tern survey day at the Saltworks, part of the San Diego National Wildlife Complex. Near Imperial Beach, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:07:08 11:47 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 220 mm, f/14.0, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X2447-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Nest found during Tern survey day at the Saltworks, part of the San Diego National Wildlife Complex. Near Imperial Beach, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:07:08 11:06 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 400 mm, f/11.0, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X2278-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Nest found during Tern survey day at the Saltworks, part of the San Diego National Wildlife Complex. Near Imperial Beach, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:07:08 10:58 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X2258-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Tern survey day at the Saltworks, part of the San Diego National Wildlife Complex. Near Imperial Beach, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:07:08 11:05 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 400 mm, f/13.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X2275-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2015:07:02 10:36 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X1946-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: At the South San Diego Bay Saltworks in Chula Vista California. Part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:17 10:28 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/8000 |
File Name: BlackSkimmer_D5X1610 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: At the South San Diego Bay Saltworks in Chula Vista California. Part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:17 10:22 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/8000 |
File Name: BlackSkimmer_D5X1556 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: At the South San Diego Bay Saltworks in Chula Vista California. Part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:17 10:22 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/8000 |
File Name: BlackSkimmer_D5X1561 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Saltworks. Part of the South San Diego Bay NWR, San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:07:24 8:50 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 400 mm, f/4.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X0835-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Saltworks. Part of the South San Diego Bay NWR, San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:07:24 8:55 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 300 mm, f/4.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X0863-BlackSkimmer-Chick |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Snatching a fish at the Tijuana River Mouth, Imperial Beach, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:24 8:11 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X9902-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Protesting the presence of the biology team at the Saltworks. Part of the South San Diego Bay NWR, San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:07:24 8:17 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 220 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X0715-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Saltworks. Part of the South San Diego Bay NWR, San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:07:24 8:19 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X0721-BlackSkimmer-Chick |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: Chick getting banding at the Saltworks. Part of the South San Diego Bay NWR, San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:07:24 8:11 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 350 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X0689-BlackSkimmer-Chick |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: The Tijuana River Mouth, Imperial Beach, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:24 8:22 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/5000 |
File Name: D3X9981-BlackSkimmer |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: I usually see Black Skimmers performing their aerial skills on smooth glassy water, because wavy, choppy water can be hazardous. There *were* crashes. I met these birds after my third day of exploration of Aransas NWR aboard the “Skimmer”. There was still time left in the day for explorations. I found a nice place to park next to Little Bay and photograph local resident birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 16:40 |
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Location:
Little Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 460 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: BlackSkimmer_D504447-Rockport-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
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Description: I usually see Black Skimmers performing their aerial skills on smooth glassy water, because wavy, choppy water can be hazardous. There *were* crashes. I met these birds after my third day of exploration of Aransas NWR aboard the “Skimmer”. There was still time left in the day for explorations. I found a nice place to park next to Little Bay and photograph local resident birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 16:46 |
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Location:
Little Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 500 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: BlackSkimmer_D504529-Rockport-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
|
Description: I usually see Black Skimmers performing their aerial skills on smooth glassy water, because wavy, choppy water can be hazardous. There *were* crashes. I met these birds after my third day of exploration of Aransas NWR aboard the “Skimmer”. There was still time left in the day for explorations. I found a nice place to park next to Little Bay and photograph local resident birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 16:51 |
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Location:
Little Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: BlackSkimmer_D504632-Rockport-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
|
Description: I usually see Black Skimmers performing their aerial skills on smooth glassy water, because wavy, choppy water can be hazardous. There *were* crashes. I met these birds after my third day of exploration of Aransas NWR aboard the “Skimmer”. There was still time left in the day for explorations. I found a nice place to park next to Little Bay and photograph local resident birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 17:14 |
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Location:
Little Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: BlackSkimmer_D504930-Rockport-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Skimmer(Rynchops niger) |
|
Description: I usually see Black Skimmers performing their aerial skills on smooth glassy water, because wavy, choppy water can be hazardous. There *were* crashes. I met these birds after my third day of exploration of Aransas NWR aboard the “Skimmer”. There was still time left in the day for explorations. I found a nice place to park next to Little Bay and photograph local resident birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 17:15 |
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Location:
Little Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: BlackSkimmer_D504939-Rockport-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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