I decided to walk off lunch along the freshwater marsh at Huntington Beach State Park. I don’t know what angel was guiding me, but it definitely was a day to remember for bird-watching. In addition to the regular summer flocks of Woodstork, Ibis, Egrets, Moorhens, etc, we spotted three rare bird sightings
Driving in across the causeway, I glanced at some Ibis right by the road … PINK ibis??? (my voice rising ) Those are Spoonbills”. Sure enough there were two juvenile Roseated Spoonbills feeding in the mudflats. I watched them for a long time. They are beautiful birds with strange wide bills that they sweep rapidly back and forth through the pluff mud seeking small crabs and shrimp. Normally these beautiful birds are found in the marshes of Florida and the Gulf coast. I don’t know what brought them so far north, but there they were posing for my camera. (An hour later, when I drove back out of the park they were no where to be seen)
Continuing on my walk, I wandered out onto the observation deck over the fresh water march. There almost at my feet was a Red Necked Egret ( a Dark Morph). Again it hung around long enough for me to admire its beautiful coloring, swift hunting action, and beautiful colors, and again it was no where to be seen when I drove out.
