Skimming the surface on the astounding birds of the Meadowlands
Skimming the surface on the astounding birds of the Meadowlands
Thursday June 27, 2013, 12:37 PM
BY JIM WRIGHT
Now is the time of year to see an amazing bird called the black skimmer in the Meadowlands, and this is a year when they seem to be incredibly plentiful.
Considering that these large black-and-white shorebirds are an endangered species in New Jersey, the frequent sightings being reported across the Meadowlands are all the more impressive.
~snip~
Herons and egrets, for example, wade in the water and grab fish with their pointy bills. Belted kingfishers hover, then crash into the water to seize their prey. Ospreys hover as well, then dive into the water and grab the fish with their talons. Black skimmers, on the other hand, live up to their name. They skim.
~snip~
What's more, black skimmers tend to fly in groups (in tight formation) and in silence. Thus, the sight of skimmers quietly gliding along is an experience not unlike watching the U.S. Air Force's Blue Angels flight team.
More:
http://www.northjersey.com/news/213263471_Skimming_the_surface_on_the_astounding_birds_of_the_Meadowlands.html#sthash.1JSN50Iv.dpuf
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Driving through the Jersey Meadows on the way to NYC was like driving through a Heironymous Bosch painting of Hell. Only with SMELL!
Yecch!
This is wonderful, now!! 
