As we gear up for the Christmas Bird Counts in December, now is the time to do a little winter shorebird watching. Last week, during a break in the weather, we got out to Air Force Beach in Comox and scoped out some of the shorebirds on the rocks near a decommissioned boat launch. In addition to several gulls on the beach we saw three types of shorebirds in winter plumage: pale white Sanderlings; dull brown Dunlins with their down curved bills; and chunky, dark Black Turnstones with their short bills and distinctive patterned wings and backs.
You are amazing! Is there anything in nature you can not identify? Fungus, lichen, plants, algae, birds. My goodness.
I love the second shot; it really shows how camouflaged they are against that foamy sea and the rocks.
I love to watch the Dunlin as they swoop across a field. White- brown, white-brown as they shift back and forth. I have seen quite a few Sanderlings on Camano Island too.
very nice shots . MB
Thanks for the complement Dutch Baby – my natural history background comes courtesy of over 10 years working as an environmental educator at various BC Parks, National Parks, and assorted NGOs. With a good bird book and some patience most birds are easy to identify. Plants and fungus are more challenging (since there’s way more of them to know). It helps that my wife Jocie is much better at plants than I am! Glad you’re enjoying the blog – thanks for stopping in.
Thanks for stopping in Mary Beth – there is something magical about flocks of shorebirds in flight. I love the striking pattern of the black turnstones when they fly as well, they’re just beautiful. Glad you enjoyed the photographs!
We used to camp at rathtrever beach and it was fun to watch these little shore birds they would all line up and one little guy we called the sargent magor would inspect them thenthey would fly off and assemble again down the beach