Here’s another one I did not expect to see during my last birding trip to the OBX earlier this month, the Razorbill!
I caught a glimpse of a few of these beauties while standing on Jennettes Pier in Nags Head NC.
Unfortunately once again, the birds were very far offshore so I was unable to capture any good photographs from my vantage point. It’s ok though because gosh it was exciting to see Razorbills from the shore!
Truly this was a case where the value of the photos (to me) are the documentation of the moment vs. a pleasing aesthetic.
Besides, I’ve got the rest of my life to try and capture a “beautiful” portrait of another one. I’m cool with waiting for that opportunity 😉
Dressed in a tuxedo of black and white feathers, Razorbills are distinctive looking birds even during the wintertime when their rocking that “drab” plumage. Like many pelagic species, they’ve got large webbed feet and powerful wings to propel their sleek bodies underwater in pursuit of prey.
Although they prefer to hunt for fish and crustaceans at around 20ft below the surface of the water, they’re capable of diving to depths of approaching 60 feet!
Razorbills breed from the Arctic south to Maine. During the wintertime they may be found in the open waters of the North Atlantic Ocean well offshore, mainly from Grand Banks of Newfoundland to southern New England, and in steadily increasing numbers southward into Virginia and right here in North Carolina.
Look for them dotting the oceans horizon from December through March.
Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame @canonusa
#5Ds