ML30950931

Age and sex

Adult, Unknown sex - X

Observation details

Foraging over the remnant water in the central lake basin. Very unusual birds for the location. Single Elegants are usually observed flying high overhead to and from Bolsa Chica. This is the first time I have observed any actually in (rather than flying over) the park. One of the two birds exhibited a foraging technique I have never seen in Elegants before. I've always seen Elegants plunge dive for prey and on the rare occasion dip low in flight to pluck or skim something off the water. One of the two birds flying over the lake actually dropped down to the level of the water, flew parallel to the surface while holding its lower mandible in the water and the upper out of it skimmer-style. It flew like this for many tens of feet across the pond before gaining height. It foraged like this several times before departing. I don't know if this bird saw the Black Skimmer foraging and imitated its behavior or whether skimming is something Elegants can do at all but it was certainly unique. Photos taken (but none of it skimming).

Technical information

Model

E-510

ISO

1600

Focal length

313 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/6.3

Shutter speed

1/400 sec

Dimensions

2200 pixels x 1650 pixels

Original file size

1.79 MB