|
Black Skimmer
Rynchops niger
|
I finally got a chance at skimmer closeups at the beach next to the South Padre Island convention center in Texas. There's a reasonably large flock, and while they are not habituated they are somewhat used to people.
Ever since I saw my first skimmer in a spotting scope I've been fascinated by their bills. Skimmers have these cool ridges on their mandible. My brother the fluid mechanics guru (he's an ear-nose-throat surgeon who studies airflow in the larynx to help people sound better after treatment) tells me that the ridges most likely provide a micro turbulence that makes it easier for the skimmer to skim through the water - kinda like dimples on a golfball. I finally got close enough to capture the ridges in flight. Woo-hoo. :-)
Next time - skimmers skimming...I hope!
|
|
Focal length: 500 mm
fStop: 5.6
ISO: 320
Shutter Speed: 1/4000
|
|
South Padre Island, TX - South Padre Island Convention Center
|
|
Apr 11, 2008
|
|
