I went out east to Oshawa before sunrise, walked the trail through Darlington down to the beach and admired the way the rising sun painted the littoral bushes, but apparently the migratory warblers had other ideas and went elsewhere. I followed the weeds and bushes at the top of the beach all the way to Beaton Point where a good view of the bay is to be had. Virtually nothing to see during the whole walk. Except, there is the one tree with a very low hanging branch, about shoulder height, and a cormorant was fast asleep on that branch. My progress along the beach was in increments, start - walk - stop - observe - walk ... repeat. The whole time I'm getting closer and closer to sleepy-head. Finally, at a distance of about 5 meters the cormorant wakes up. Dazed and confused about covers it. The cormorant didn't quite know what to do. I was standing still. By the time it attained half-wit status if fell of the perch, waddled to the beach, tripped, but eventually made it to the safety of the water. I think that it was hung-over. Those cormorants know how to party.
I chanced to catch a shorebird with a long beak fly toward the open bay area. The down-curved bill made me think of Whimbrel. When I got to the bay look-out I spotted a Short-billed dowitcher that was walking towards me. I sat on the sand using the concealment of tall grass and waited for the bird to walk past me. Ten minutes later ... no show. The idiot that I am, I stood up and peered around the grasses. There it was about 7 meters away. I took a shot because I knew that it was about to relocate, which it did by walking away again, tripled the distance and then took slight. No other shorebird to be seen. There were no bird calls, just the wind and the surf. The whole excursion was devoid of birds, except for gulls and song sparrows.
Dowitcher
Sleepy-head
