Things were very in the yard for several weeks so I resorted to performing a few observations in the area around the Cap Sante Marina.  Sadly most of our shorebirds and waterfowl have either left or retreated to areas that I can’t access.  These will probably be the last of photos in that environment until sometime late next fall.

For several days a small group of Dunlin, which always seem to sleep with at least one eye open, were hanging around the marina.

They are easy to overlook, especially when napping.  You can see why in this photo which shows at least four…

I’ve noted that they typically nap during high tide and then feed as the tide is receding.  Photographing them while feeding can be challenging as their beaks are constantly being inserted into the mud very much like sewing machine needles, and to stop the motion you either have to use a very high shutter speed or, as is the case with these photos, wait patiently for a very brief break in their feeding.  Most of this group are in their breeding plumage.

The Dunlin are readily identifiable by the way they are assembled, as shown here…

: )

On a somewhat easier identification note, here’s a photo of a male Common goldeneye I took a couple of weeks ago.  I watched it preen for well over an hour.

And here is its mate…

I had been hoping for a photo of one of the Common loons, now in full breeding plumage, I’ve occasionally seen in the marina, but I just haven’t been able to get close enough to one for any good photographs.  And sadly, as I mentioned, most of the waterfowl and shorebirds that I photograph in the winter will be leaving the marina area soon, so it will be back to the yard birds.  Fortunately, after a brief lull, things have picked up again in the yard.