We tried explaining to these nice folks you don’t need to swim into the surf to enjoy beautiful Willets in flight. In response, it was mostly “Dude, leave me alone!” and “WTF is a Willet?!?,” followed by a quick scurrying away up the beach. Anyway, unless you are way, way out to sea (e.g., on a boat), the beach view is just as good for seeing passing shore birds. Additional advantages to birding on land: dryer, warmer, easier to buy/drink hot coffee, & lower risk of shark attack.
Also easier to operate camera equipment. (Nikon weatherproofing is notoriously good, and rightly so, but weatherproofing =/ (does not equal) waterproofing/submersible.) Take these photos of beautiful Willet “not in flight:”
Same day/location at Oceanside Harbor Beach, very interesting to see female (etc.) Great-tailed Grackle foraging on the jetty/rocks/surf-line:
Even better, beautiful Marbled Godwit:
More Marbled Godwit:
Here’s a Willet @ field sobriety test, or practicing dance moves, or something:
More Willet:
Nice sequence of Western Gull (probably) in flight/landing:
Even more Willet:
Coming up soon, catch a wave and you’re sitting on top of the world! Or maybe more birds.
[Editor’s Note: As best can be determined, “WTF” = ‘what the fun.’]