Last year I had a lot of fun watching and photographing Black Skimmers. This juvenile bird was walking along the beach with the lower mandible plowing through sand. It's a start. :)
This is quite amazing Axel, and there are so many "just-so stories" as Stephen J. Gould called them, to explain what might be going on. Is it play/practice for the real thing or have you discovered a new feeding technique for the species? For the latter idea to work, there has to be something to eat in the sand- is there? What do you think is going on?
I think it is play/practice. He also played with a stick for no apparent reason other than entertaining himself. I also saw slightly older juveniles flying along the beach plowing through sand. I have images of both that I can post later.
There is nothing at all for them to eat in the sand. And perhaps more amazingly, I have, on several occasions in Cape May, NJ, seen the juvies skim the sand in flight! My vote, therefore, is for practice.
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.
Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,
This is a juvenile practicing in the sand. When there was some sort of resistance, a little rock or so, I also saw the reflex that closes the bill. This image is only supposed to demonstrate the behavior. :)