Yesterday I drove south to check out the Hayward Regional Shoreline on account of its gargantuan 110 species logged this month. Just upon entering the refuge area, I saw two White-tailed Kites possibly sharing a meal in the canopy.

Adding the pack of peeps I saw on the first mudflat, I knew it would be a fruitful morning. Innumerable Western and Least sandpipers plucked away furiously in the appetizing muck. Don't ask me to tell you the difference between them!

Golden-crowned Sparrow

 

With the sun beating down I made my way toward the tidal marsh, which greeted me with countless new shorebirds including North America's largest and one I've really been anticipating, the Long-billed Curlew.

 Marbled Godwit

Barn Swallows appeared to be preparing for their first brood of the season, taking up residence under wooden bridges that spanned across the brackish water.

Today I went to the Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary in Alameda for more shorebirding. I also wanted to practice some basic gull ID which I've been neglecting for too long. This place was heaven-sent. Super close-up views of everything and according to some locals, exceptionally low tide.

 

Northern pintail

I spent a while with a local birder Paul photographing our mutual favorite Black Skimmer. They were raising hell amongst a massive mixed flock of Dunlin, Willet, American Avocet, Snowy Egrets, Black-necked Stilts, sandpipers, and a variety of gulls. We were thrilled watching their bizarre acrobatics and delicate waddling on the sand. I'm proud of this one:

 

 

Paul confessed that he was more of a photographer than a birder, so we had a good time reasoning through Larus identification together. But that was driven aside when droves of Elegant Terns swooped in with their own stunts.

 

 

Continuing to a deck down the beach, we bumped into one of Paul's friends who had a Snowy Plover in her scope! She also helped me confirm my gull suspicions, my larophile future begins now. The three of us surveyed the many species that were nesting on the beach until they peeled off back to the skimmers.

 

 

Short-billed gull

TO/YESTERDAY: 58

 

LIFE LIST: 217 -> 235