Golden opportunity

Okay, I'll admit it — when it comes to beautiful shorebirds, it's hard for me to stay away.  I just couldn't help going back to Doran Beach to look for the Pacific Golden-Plover again.  As the tide was rising I found the plover easily, but it was pretty far away and the light wasn't great.  I had nice looks through a spotting scope, and then conceded that I wasn't going to get any pictures.  

I started walking back towards the parking lot, and stopped to look at a smaller group of shorebirds close to shore.  While looking through the scope, I heard a flock of shorebirds arriving, and then I couldn't believe my eyes when the golden-plover landed nearby.  Then my luck improved even more when the sun broke through the clouds.

The plover was roosting with a mixed flock of Dunlin, Sanderling, and Western Sandpipers.  They took off a couple of times, but landed nearby again, so I had several opportunities for photos.  Here are a few of my favorites highlighting the Pacific Golden-Plover on 27 October 2013: