Ellen and I went for a delightful walk on the beach at Stone Harbor Point yesterday evening.

There weren’t many other people there, but we weren’t alone, there were lots of birds. Some are summer residents, some are shorebirds on their return migration from the arctic, having finished their breeding up there. That’s right, migrating south in July. When you go as far as some of these birds, you spend much of your life migrating.

This Red Knot, for instance, an endangered species, which is why he’s wearing leg bands (for researchers to attempt to keep track of him). He has one of the longest migrations, traveling from southern South America to the arctic every year.

These Ruddy Turnstones are still showing a lot of breeding color, but are now on summer vacation until they continue south.

A Semipalmated Plover.

Two Willets, which could be migrants or residents, some nest in this area.

A lovely way to end the day out in the natural world.