I spent the day birding sites around Seaside, OR (Birding Oregon p. 121).
The tide was the lowest I have seen at The Cove, revealing its sandy bottom.
The low tide allowed lots of beach-combers to wander along the rocky edges, so the only shorebirds present was a small flock of Black Turnstones.
This is a Western Gull in very worn plumage. Note the black-tipped primary just starting to grow in. The lumpy neck on this bird was caused by the large sea star he had just swallowed.
Heerman’s Gulls are normally one of the most beautiful gull species, but this individual was also extremely worn.
These birds were in better shape.
California Gulls are starting to gather along the Oregon coast. This juvenile was keeping company with an adult Western Gull.
At the north end of town is the Necanicum Estuary, also at very low tide. The exposed mud and aquatic vegetation attracted nice numbers of shorebirds.
Semipalmated Plover
Least Sandpipers
Western Sandpiper
The rarest bird of the day was this Semipalmated Sandpiper.
Notice on these shorebird tracks that the toes are partially webbed, or semipalmated. So these tracks were made by either a Western Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, or Semipalmated Sandpiper.
These tracks don’t show any sign of webbing, so they were probably made by a Least Sandpiper.
The estuary is a favorite hang-out for Caspian Terns, here joined by California Gulls.
Ethical Birder 