Peanuts In My Pocket

I find birding to be challenging. It’s a mix of fitness, patience, and figuring out where to look for birds in a region with 10 million residents. Shorebirds present a unique challenge, because to even get close, you usually have to hike across a lot of sand. My ankles complain. I haven’t figured out how to walk in sand gracefully. It’s frustrating.

Today, I walked the final half-mile of the San Gabriel River Bike Path, heading toward the river’s mouth at the Seal Beach Jetty. The bike path had exactly zero birds, which I expected. The shoreline near the jetty had a few shorebirds, and a lot of surfers.

I managed to find Sanderlings, Black-bellied Plovers, Marbled Godwits, and one beautiful Ruddy Turnstone. The day was completely overcast and uniformly gray. That affected my photography, but at least I didn’t need to lather on sunscreen.

I took a few solid bird identification shots. These are what I consider “good enough to confirm ID” photos, but not ones I’d ever hang on my wall. Still, each of these photos is better than the first ones I took of the same species earlier this year. Perfect conditions never seem to line up when birding, so I just do the best I can with what I get.

Small Birds, Big Effort

I’ve been so disappointed with my small shorebird photography, sandpipers and such, that I’ve shifted strategies. I’m now seeking out beaches specifically to photograph these smaller birds. The results are promising, though the number of species at any one beach tends to be limited.

For example, today I only saw about five species from my vantage point. But across the river in Long Beach, I could see another large group of birds feeding, maybe 250 yards away. Frustrating, but motivating.

My current target species are Surfbirds and Oystercatchers. So far, I’ve seen them. I just haven’t been able to get close enough to photograph them properly. It’s going to take more effort, and a lot more walking across wide swaths of soft sand.

Do they make sand shoes, like snowshoes?
Maybe I just need to keep working on getting in better shape.