A Morning at Fort Flagler

Chances to get outside have been few and far lately. With clearing forecast, Leslie and I set out for Ft. Flagler and Port Townsend on a recent Sunday. As it turned out we saw very little (like none) sunshine and were greeted by the highest tide I’ve ever seen there.

We couldn’t figure out what all the birds were on the lawn across from the campground. It turned out to be shorebirds, like this Black-Bellied Plover in winter plumage

and Sanderlings in Winter plumage.

I’ve seen both at Flagler many times, but never foraging on the lawn. It wasn’t until we reached the end of the spit, more than a half hour later that we realized that there really wasn’t any “shore” to forage.

One of the few good things about that was that this is probably the closest I’ve ever gotten to the Brant geese.

Although we didn’t see as many Harlequin Ducks as we usually do, I did see a couple and with a little Lightroom enhancing, the male’s plumage is almost recognizable.

3 thoughts on “A Morning at Fort Flagler”

  1. “No ‘shore’ to forage.” Having grown up on a tidal river and near the shore at Virginia Beach, I tried to understand what I saw, a few years ago, traveling for the first time Down East in Maine. Ocean and rock with no mediator. It felt like the world’s end.

    These are lovely pictures.

  2. Hello Loren! I think this was the same Sunday that we met the two of you out on the spit. I remember you saying that you had never seen the tide so high. I’m happy that you got some nice photos from that day and that we got to chat. I also wanted to mention that Tim got me birding binoculars for Christmas! I’m definitely going to be studying my bird book now and looking for that note I wrote down about with that birding app you recommended.

    It was great meeting you and Leslie.

    1. Glad to hear that you got a pair of binoculars for Christmas. A life-long present.

      Talking to the two of you was a highlight of the day.

      “ebird” and “iBirdUltimiate” are the two apps I use the most, but Merlin BirdID is a close runner-up.

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