Although I haven’t gotten there nearly as much as I’d like to, the ocean beaches are certainly the place to be for birding right now with the Fall migration on. Heck, even the sewage plant in Ocean Shores is a goldmine for birds.
Apparently one man’s waste is another bird’s fortune, as we consistently find unusual or rare birds there. It’s often easier to get close to the birds, too, as in this picture of these Least Sandpipers,
where I managed to get close enough to notice the funny little “toe” at the back of their foot, an appendage that must help to maintain balance on rocky areas like this.
We also got a look at another bird I’ve never seen before, this non-breeding Spotted Sandpiper,
which flew away
when I came too close, but returned immediately to feed again once I’d walked over to the next pond.