The Black Skimmer is a small family of tern-like birds that nest in colonies. The skimmer is the only American bird that possesses a distinctive lower mandible that is longer than the upper, allowing the skimmer to fly low and fast, skimming the water, ready to snap shut and snatch any small fish unable to dart clear. This photo was taken in June, 2012, west of Tampa, on the Gulf of Mexico. Sadly, Tropical Storm Debby hit the Gulf Coast a few days after this photo was taken and wiped out the entire colony, taking chicks and eggs out to sea, and decimating the landscape. We can only hope they will return next year. I took this photo with a Canon EOS 7D DSLR, Canon zoom lens EF 100–400mm 1:4.5–5.6 L IS Ultrasonic, f8, 1/1250, ISO 400, +1.0 step, handheld. My name is Lauri Griffin, I am a subscriber and photographer living in Merritt Island, Florida.