2013-03-24 Surfbirds At The Mission Bay Jetty

Good image captures of Surfbirds were a source of frustration for me until this day. These shorebirds are not rare during the winter season in San Diego County, but I’d not had any meaningful encounters. I read a report about a sighting at the rock jetty at the mouth of Mission Bay. I’d not visited this beach before, so I decided to ‘kill both birds’ (figuratively).

I found the Surfbirds right away, but as luck would have it, they were loafing further out on the jetty, near the breaking waves at the surf line. After all, they ARE Surfbirds. I found a safe spot among the rocks, then like the Great Blue Heron, I set up and waited for my prey to come to me.

Dunlins, sandpipers, tattlers and turnstones were attending the beach that morning, and provided me ample entertainment while I waited. It wasn’t long before the Surfbirds grew weary of loafing and came out to play on the beach. My camera and I feasted.

Birds I met on this day were Surfbird, Wandering Tattler, Black Turnstone, Dunlin, Western Sandpiper, American Pipit.