Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Cathy and I went to the east end of Ocean Isle this morning and walked along the beach. Cathy looks for coral on the beach and before today hadn’t found many pieces. Today she found as much as she sometimes finds in a week. I found a few pieces, as well, but mostly I was taking photos of birds. I got a few of a brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) and some of willets (Tringa semipalmata) and quite a few of these little sanderlings (Calidris alba). They are quite numerous on the beach, running up just above waves and then following them back down to dig things up out of the sand.