No, you’re not seeing things: These birds are flying with their lips in the water. Or their bills, more precisely. Beach-nesting black skimmers live up to their name, flying low over the surf, with their bills open and their lower mandibles “skimming” the surface of the water. When its beak makes contact with a silverside minnow, a herring, or a needlefish, a black skimmer snaps its mouth shut and flies off to feed.
These are big birds, with a wide, three-and-a-half-foot wingspan and a black-tipped red bill that might make a toucan a bit envious. But few birds would envy the tough spot black skimmers find themselves in these days. The birds nest on sandy beach spits and the tips of islands, and as more human residents lay claim to the coast, there are fewer options for black skimmers. Those that do manage to make a home here nest from May through July, turning heads with their aerial displays and swooping flights mere inches from the surface of the ocean.
Above Photo: If the seawater is deep enough for a fish, it’s deep enough to catch a fish, as this pair of black skimmers working a shallow pool at Oregon Inlet will attest.
For decades, a remote piece of Currituck County has been a respite for wildlife. Now under the protection of conservationists, this land, the waters surrounding it, and the skies above will remain a constant in our coastal circle of life.
On North Carolina’s coast, boardwalks wind alongside our sounds, rivers, and beaches, reminding us that the journey is often just as delightful as the destination.
From Wanchese to Duck, these landmark businesses and the families who run them connect consumers with the daily catch.
As the sun sets at Grandfather Mountain, fireflies put on a magnificent show — for those willing to stop and pay attention.
