Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Two if by Sea


Every once in a while I am amazed by the prescience of my wife. She seemed to possess this uncanny sense of knowing what birds we will see at a certain place even before we get there.


Friday, May 1st. I was being irresolute as to where we would go birding. Cynthia, fed up with my wishy-washiness suggested that we go to Playa del Rey "so you can add the Wandering Tattler and the Black Oystercatcher to your year list!" That statement shook me up. We have been to Playa at least twice this year and have seen all the expected species except for these two. Now my indecisiveness was replaced with a kind of determination found only among the likes of marathon runners.

We scoured the length of the south jetty and found the usual Surfbirds, Sanderlings and both Black and Ruddy Turnstones. Then skulking among the rocks by the water's edge a Wandering Tattler finally stopped wandering and gave us some good views.



But no Black Oystercatchers. I was about to reproach my wife for her false predictions when she proposed that we check out the area along Ballona Channel east of the Pacific Avenue bridge. Lo and behold, just 100 feet from the bridge a pair of Black Oystercatchers were casually standing on the rocks as if they were actually waiting for us.


As heaven is my witness, I shall never doubt my wife again.

2 comments:

a birder said...

Wish I could get tattler pictures like that!

Larry Jordan said...

Great captures Bob! I think you had better keep Cynthia close at hand! It looks to me like she is clairvoyant! You are so lucky to have a lovely wife that shares your zeal for the birds (and has them waiting for you when you go birding)!