Hits and misses at Broughton Beach

This summer has been rough at Broughton Beach. Early in the season, in hopes of a reported Least Sandpiper, I thought a quick stop after work would do. But when I arrived…

No birds. Just big crowds of people. Big miss.

Undeterred, I returned the following Saturday at 5:30am when I knew there’d be fewer people.

So far so good. Nobody there but early birds eating crayfish.

I peeked around and found many juvenile birds, like this Savannah Sparrow.

White-crowned Sparrow.

And Dark-eyed Junco.

Hello baby bird season (aka stripey, streaky, weird-looking birds). It never gets old. Right, European Starlings?

I made it to the gull roost and back to the parking lot without finding any peeps. I was kind of bummed, and this was when I also realized I’d lost my keys. Ugh. Major fail. I texted Tomas for rescue and proceeded to retrace my steps. At least I could look for more birds in the mean time.

I made it all the way back to the gull roost, when wouldn’t you know it, Least Sandpiper! Warm brown colored, slightly drooping bill, yellow legs. Yay!

At least there was that, I thought. And even better, halfway back to the parking lot, in the tall grass I found my keys! Thank goodness for bright orange wristbands. Major relief.

The next trip to Broughton was even better. Right as I got out of the car, I spotted a coyote in the parking lot!

I grabbed my camera and followed from a distance watching the bold canine trot right out along the multi-use path.

Multi-use indeed.

Also on this trip, I watched an Osprey swoop down to the beach gathering nesting materials.

After picking out the best clump of sea-stuff, it returned to the nesting platform out in the Columbia.

Also in the air were other flying things.

And one more that I was really excited to find, a bird I’ve only seen one other time on a Birdathon Trip last year, Bank Swallow!

I’ve barely learned this bird, identifiable by that dark band across the chest that extends down the middle. They also have a different flight pattern than other swallows, flying low over water with quick, fluttery wingbeats.

Least Sandpipers (L) were back! And they brought their friend Western Sandpiper along (R) this time.

Moderately long droopy bill, gray-rufous back, and black legs.

Later, just as I was getting to the car to leave, I heard another surprise, the raspy grating call that could only be a tern. I looked up to see, sure enough, a Caspian Tern!

The final and biggest hit at Broughton was a peep that Jen alerted me to. I couldn’t go on that day, but I told her to tell it to stay put. It worked because the next day I checked it was still there!

Baird’s Sandpiper! A mf lifebird as it turns out. It was the only peep on the shore, and it was so cooperative. It ran by my feet several times.

We were besties. I got great looks as it ran around the beach. Even as it picked up a moth.

And smashed it! Whack!

Good job, lifebird. And why is this a Baird’s Sandpiper? Because of the fairly long slightly drooping bill, distinct stripey chest markings, black legs, and especially because of the long wings that extend beyond the tail.

Or up in the air.

But more about shorebird ID later.

So many good finds at Broughton Beach!

Tweets and chirps,

Audrey