While some birds rest tucked out of the wind on a beach, others are busy feeding in their own style -- seemingly falling from the sky, with a final controlled dive, success is a full bill.
We watched Brown Pelicans feed on Willapa Bay for several months this fall, their graceful flying turning into a controlled fall(?) / dive, then full submersion, and a return to the surface, satisfied.
On the Columbia River, just downstream of the Astoria-Megler bridge, we found a large group of Brown Pelicans one evening, mostly feeding; with a few different methods! Just sitting back and watching the many antics was something special; an interesting several moments were spent watching an individual hop onto a piling, displace another, then survey those below his well-earned perch.
Finally, a few images of other antics around the area -- the barn swallows had found something interesting on the house roof; the insects were enjoying the last of the field flowers, and the Northern Shrike that visited was a new bird for me.
A hike along Willapa Bay at Leadbetter offered a wonderful display of shorebirds.
Barn Swallows
Feeding on Goldenrod
Feeding on Gumweed
Northern Shrike
Shorebird flock at Leadbetter
Black-bellied Plover
