Where: Chincoteague, VA • Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
Notes: Upon wandering out with my camera and lens between show times at the Chincoteague Island Blueberry Festival this past July, I was pleasantly surprised to find an decent number of sandpipers feeding along the surf at the north beach. There were many groups of Sanderlings and a few Willets here and there. During a couple of hours one evening, both a Whimbrel and an American Oystercatcher also flew by. Most distinctive was the fact that some of the Sanderlings still had a significant amount of their breeding plumage. Notedly, the rusty speckling around their heads. It is a fun challenge to capture the actions of these little guys as they run along the edge of the surf. Down to the ocean as the waves recede, then suddenly back up the beach when another wave rolls in. Its as if they are not supposed to get their feet wet. Occasionally just the right rhythm of the waves and birds pushes one back up the beach in my direction. This often accelerates their surf-side trot into a high speed blaze. Truly a test of eye-hand coordination.