A Longer Trip to the Coast

Since we’ve been unable to fit an extended vacation to Santa Rosa and Fresno between doctor appointments, I leapt at the chance to visit the coast when I read that 70+ temperatures were predicted for five days in a row.  

I debated whether or not to take my birding cameras and lenses because birding was awfully slow on our last trip to the coast. I ended up taking them because I knew I would inevitably see a great shot if I didn’t have them with me.  Of course, the other side of that perspective is that you’re less likely to see great shots if you do have your camera equipment.

As it turned out, birding was even worse than I thought it would be, perhaps because there were so many people on the beach enjoying the sunshine. I did manage to get a few shots at our first stop, Westport.  The Western Grebes that were there on our last visit were still there.

There were remarkably few loons in the marina, but I did spot a single Common Loon that was starting to change into its breeding colors.

Ironically, the best bird pictures of the trip were taken with my the SX 60HS because I wasn’t carrying my camera lens at Agate Beach.  This Black Oystercatcher was so close that I could almost have gotten a shot with my iPhone.

I really liked this shot of the two wading in the surf and they accommodated me by standing still long enough that I could focus on them.