Spread your wings and fly....

Finally, I was able to capture one in flight as it silently soared just inches above the water's surface. These skimmers are quite unusual looking and once I first sighted one I was in awe of their expertise in getting their nutrients from holding their jaw open as they flew along the shoreline supping up food stuffs. Their jaw/beaks are another trait that interested me. But, while we're out birding and such, I have had the opportunity to watch them in their daily habits, but have never been lucky enough to get a clear, sharp, photo of their flight patterns. Until now...

..and once they pass by so quickly in pursuit of a meal, within minutes [most often] they circle around and go 'skimming' in the opposite direction from which they came!

BLACK SKIMMER

photos taken: Oso bay [land lubber] and Whitecap beach - Corpus Christi, Texas and Padre Island, Texas

Habitat Range:

TRIVIA:

The Black Skimmer is active throughout the day, it is largely crepuscular (active in the dawn and dusk).

The Black Skimmer is the only American representative of the skimmer family.

ROYAL TERN

photo taken: Oso Bay - Corpus Christi, Texas

Habitat Range:

TRIVIA:

The Royal Tern is found only along ocean beaches.

The Royal Tern makes its nest scrape on the ground on low-lying islands. The coupled pair defecates directly on the nest rim. After a few weeks, the nest rim hardens..., perhaps to reinforce the nest against flooding?!!

...lastly this week, I thought I'd share many of the hundreds of Springtime migrants into our area. Several different warblers frequented our local and nearby wooded areas during the month of April and into early May. With all the hundreds of photos I took during the 6-7 week span of migration, I've been busy getting them framed [physically] into wooden collage frames and hanging them on our wall in our home. They're just too pretty to keep on a disc. Anyway, we were preparing to return to the car and get back home from this refuge/outing, and as we were walking out from the wooded trail, to the parking lot, this beautiful one caught my eye. And it too gave me the privilege of seeing its wingspan!! This one in particular, so colorful and prettily marked is the Blackburnian Warbler:

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER

photos taken: Hans Suter Wildlife Refuge - Corpus Christi, Texas

Habitat Range:

TRIVIA:

No other North American warbler has an orange throat.

The begging of the blackburnian warbler chicks can even attract chickadees.

By the way...for USA bloggers and birders, have a happy safe holiday on the 4th of July!!

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