I walked down to the ocean just as the tide was receding and the retreating waves left the smooth sand as shiny as glass. Surfers were coming ashore with their boards, stripping down the top half of their wet suits, and walking down the beach. A few joggers ran past me and dog walkers strutted by with their pets following obediently alongside. Then I came upon one of my favorite sights--a flock of snowy plovers clustered together.
These little birds are so pretty and delicate with their white chests and greyish head and wings.
Their dainty pointed beaks are perfect for finding morsels of delicious food in the sand. Their tooth pick legs look so fragile, but they whisk back and forth rapidly, propelling the little birds smoothly over the sand. Their heads and bodies stay straight and still, which causes them to resemble a machine navigating in the desert.
There were about five snowy plovers near the waves searching for food when, suddenly, one bird hurriedly turned and headed towards the flock several yards away. When he reached the group, several birds flew up in the air and the rest started moving en masse following each other until the whole flock had transported themselves to the shore line. It was as if the first little plover was calling the others to dinner, because they all started poking their beaks into the sand to find food. I think that after high tide, the water recedes leaving little creatures in the wet sand.
As I watched the flock, they seemed to move as in a dance. The ocean waves would flow in and the birds in unison would move away. Then they would move sideways down the beach or run back to their resting spot. At times, they split into two groups running so smoothly here and there like a ballet as the tide ebbed and flowed. A few birds caught in the water would flap their wings like they were bathing and then run off looking for more food. One little guy had a long wormy tidbit in his beak and another plover chased him down the beach until he gave up, leaving the first plover with his prize. Some of the birds showed a little independence, but mostly, the birds stayed in groups, and flowed as a unit. One bird would start to shift in a direction, and then a wave of changing motion would occur bringing the birds to another spot.
I stood for awhile enjoy the Snowy Plover, realizing that these birds are an endangered species. There is a sign posted on the Great Highway as you descend onto the beach telling people that the Plovers are a protected species, to keep dogs on leash, and not to harass them. The problem is that every time someone walks by the flock, the birds adjust their position to be at a safe distance from others. It is funny to watch, but on the other hand, the poor birds are using up a lot of energy having to move. The beach has been their habitat up and down California for eons, so people need to be respectful and try to keep their distance. Fortunately, the Coastal area is often foggy so most of the time people and dogs stay away. I hope so, because these enchanting little birds need to be a part of our beach for a long time.
