Beach-wrack & lagoon-foam (L.Johnson 2/10)

Fortunately the tsunami (if any) from the Chilean earthquake hit the lagoon on Saturday or we might all have been swept out to sea. As it was, about half of us got our feet wet when – backs to the ocean, diligently studying Black Skimmers and assorted gulls, terns and peeps across the narrow outlet stream – we were rudely assaulted by a 6-inch-high wall of water and foam lunging at us across the beach berm. Gradually the tide receded, but even three hours after (predicted) high tide, the occasional big one sent us scurrying. The surfers were having a great time frolicking in the water (check Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Galapagos for where this activity may lead).

American Avocets (L.Johnson 2/10)

The beach was significantly altered by the recent storm and the birds had a section all to themselves, separated from the “human-dominated” zones by two outlet streams running more-or-less parallel to the shore. Here they snoozed or stalked the water-edge searching for invertebrate snacks. Among them were 5 Black Skimmers (down from 6 in Jan.), 3 1^st-year Glaucous-winged Gulls, 2 American Avocets, now with almost solid red heads (probably the same two birds we had in Jan.), and 7 Heermann’s Gulls, not yet fled to their breeding grounds on islands in the southern Sea of Cortez, where they nest early to avoid the fierce heat of late spring.

Leftmost Royal Tern begging food (L.Johnson 2/10)

32 terns in various postures and black-crown plumages initiated, as usual, a few debates among those who are never quite certain what differentiates a Royal Tern from an Elegant. After the combatants were separated, they unanimously agreed they were all Royal, or all Elegant, or some of each. Like all trip leaders who follow the Bird Guide’s Official Motto of “Often wrong but never in doubt”, I pronounced them all Royal Tern (save the solitary Elegant added later).

High tide in 1st channel (L.Johnson 2/10)

Other than that, 1 early Northern Rough-winged Swallow and 1 Semipalmated Plover were notable early additions to the 2010 list, the 35 Gadwall was the 2^nd highest total ever, while the large drop in total numbers from January (especially California Gulls) was probably due to yesterday’s rainstorm, the condition of the beach and the high water in the lagoon created by high tide inflow.