Re: [MDOsprey] DC Black Skimmer

David (dstrother@pop.dn.net)
Tue, 07 Sep 1999 19:15:33 -0400


Having been alerted by Rob Hilton's message, Toni and I went down to the
reservoir, arriving at 6:00PM, and had no trouble finding the skimmer out on
the dike, right where Rob left it.  At 6:05 four gulls ambled toward it in a
manner not unlike one of the rumble gangs in West Side Story.  The skimmer
flew, did some skimming on the far pond, and returned to the dike.

While we were there, Byron Swift and Ottavio Janni stopped by to enjoy the
view.  The skimmer flew once again, this time a shorter flight.  It moves its
wings quite stiffly, very much in contrast to the powerfully fluid motions of
the white pelican I observed off Jones Point on August 24th.  It had tucked its
head and was snoozing when we left at 6:40PM

David Strother
Bethesda
dstrother@pop.dn.net