I took a client to the Necanicum Estuary (Birding Oregon p.122) last week. Shorebirds were surprisingly scarce on the mudflats. But the sand bars were covered with Caspian Terns. There was a huge concentration of these beautiful noisy birds resting, preening, diving for fish, and feeding their young. Here is a very small part of the flock.
Offshore, Brown Pelicans were actively feeding. The smaller dark birds are Heerman’s Gulls, which make their living stealing fish from Brown Pelicans.
Ethical Birder 