Before getting to today’s post, let me say THANK YOU to all the GreatBirdPic members who shared one (or more) of their amazing photographs in our “Birds Small in the Frame” contest. Over 60 photographs were shared and from what I’ve seen it’s going to be a very tough time determining a winner. Xwinger and I will attempt to do just that in the very near future so stay tuned.
For the past seven years Karen and I have rented a house on the north side of Holland, Michigan in late August. Karen has a number of relatives that still live in the area and we just enjoy being in Western Michigan (it doesn’t hurt that the house we rent is high on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan). Each time we visit we make sure we reconnect with the best birders in the area, Carl and Judi. They are both so knowledgeable and fun to bird with – and they know every other birder around so when we go out with them, others are drawn into the group. Such was the case Saturday when we went out to Holland State Park (HSP). First it was the four of us, then it was the seven of us.
It was a beautiful morning and as we approached the beach Carl spotted a couple of Bonaparte’s Gulls flying in. I love these smaller gulls and had to get a few shots of them.
As we approached the pier their friend Doug told us about some of the shorebirds foraging on the rocks that protect the pier. Shorebirds are often the first migrants to appear as they flow back south in the fall; coming from up in Canada they travel along the shoreline of Lake Michigan and stop at HSP to refuel. There were a couple of Least Sandpipers on the rocks, picking off tiny bugs to eat. I love their colorful brown body contrasted with the rocks and the blue waters of Lake Michigan.
Also down on the rocks, a Spotted Sandpiper was seen quickly walking by. Note that there are no spots on its breast as they only appear when breeding.
Hopefully we’ll get back to HSP while we’re here and see more shorebirds; wherever we end up going with Carl and Judi we will see great birds and have fun finding them.
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