Beach Birds!

Deryl has had some success in finding migrating birds by heading early to Canatara beach  before beach walkers flush the birds away. 

The common name of the Bonapart's Gull honours Charles Lucien Bonaparte, a cousin of Napoleon Bonaparte who made important contributions to American ornithology during the 1820's.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bonapartes_Gull/overview

Red-necked Phalarope: Phalaropes reverse the usual sex roles in birds - Females are larger and more colourful than males. Females take the lead in courtship and males are left to incubate the eggs and care for the young. (This bird was not found at the beach, but at the lagoons.)

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/red-necked-phalarope

Nonbreeding Sanderlings often stay on their wintering grounds along the Gulf Coast through the summer. They save energy by avoiding the long trip to the Arctic nesting grounds. This individual had stopped for a rest and some food on Canatara beach while migrating south for the winter.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sanderling/overview

Semipalmated Plovers are visual hunters. They run a few steps, pause, and then lunge at prey on the ground, grabbing smaller prey or pulling at worms much like Robins.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Semipalmated_Plover/id

The Semipalmated Sandpiper gets its common name from the short webs between its toes. ("palmated" means webbed.)

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Semipalmated_Sandpiper/overview

The White-rumped Sandpiper has one of the longest migration routes of any American bird, from Arctic Canada to southern South America. Southbound migrants fly over the Atlantic Ocean, then gradually move southeast along the coast before turning inland to cross the Amazon basin. The trip takes about a month.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-rumped_Sandpiper/overview