Laguna Beach like alot of towns along the coast of California has spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. People come for the beauty,swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, scuba diving, etc.
Some come to see the Sea Lions and whales. This time of year migration of whales is occurring.
We came, primarily, to see the wintering birds along the coast before they return to the far north for breeding. Migration is filled with danger and uncertainty for all the creatures that attempt it each year. Some are successful, others are not.
Incoming waves forced this Surfbird to perch on a rock close enough for us to get a good look at him. Soon he will begin the 3,720 mile flight which will take him to the high mountains in Alaska to breed. Quite difficult to fathom the extremely long path before him!
Whimbrels are shorebirds that also will travel to Alaska.
Interesting to learn that some birds remain residents year round while others choose to migrate. The Allen's Hummingbird with its golden-orange flashes of color is one of those birds.
The last bird that caught my attention as the sun was setting was a single Clark's Grebe. This bird will not be migrating north. As we watched him swim back and forth in a small pond, he sent out a loud call that carried through the refuge. For those of us watching, we hoped the sound could be heard by his future mate.
