I took this photo a couple of years ago near the shoreline at the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach, California. I tried to identify the bird type; I think it’s called a, “Long Billed Dowitcher”, or a “Willet”. Heaven knows what the ‘deposit’ is in the foreground! I think it’s a bunch of ‘interesting’ seaweed of some sort.
This photo struck me as funny and interesting at the same time. As I approached this little feathered gang, they immediately began to ‘hightail’ it away from me. Reasonable thing to do, I suppose, as I didn’t appear to be willing to share any snacks with the trio that I might have. But it also intrigued me that they moved in a rather unison pattern. Same direction as each other, with a rather strutting approach to my infringement upon their beach space.
This might sound a bit silly, but I also remember thinking, gee, they are just doing their bird thing; not too much worry of where their next meal might come from, not worried about seeking shelter on a typical picture-perfect Southern California day. With long, pointed beaks seemingly leading the way, I found their demeanor enviable. Gliding along at leisurely pace, and just ‘being’.
I think we could all use a little lesson from the Long-Billed Dowitcher, don’t you think?
The Chicago Files 