Beach Hazard

 

Sanderlings on the Run, Ocean Beach

I figured it would be pretty close to high tide when I reached the beach this morning, but I was surprised by the huge surf. If I'd remembered to check the weather forecast before leaving home I'd have known that waves were expected to be 14-19 feet, with the occasional "sneaker" wave topping even that.

A group of sanderlings was gathered in a somewhat protected area bounded on all sides by water that was just deep enough to keep people and leashed dogs from intruding into their space. The only thing they had to worry about was the occasional sneaker wave that pushed up the beach far enough to temporarily shrink their dry refuge.

No sign of any western snowy plovers where they formerly gathered between Noriega and Pacheco. 

Looking Down Ortega Street

I know, it's hard to tell how massive these waves are without a sacrificial surfer in there.

There were zero surfers, of course, and even the pelicans, which often make elegant use of the updrafts on wave faces, kept their distance from the thundering breakers.

Toil & Trouble

Serene Sanderlings

Even with its eyes closed and its beak tucked under a wing, a sanderling is always ready to run for higher ground.

Safe Within the Moat

A Beautiful February Morning at Ocean Beach
(The white square in the distance is the Cliff House.)

Note the sanderling on the left that appears to be screaming.

Beach Buddies

The red-breasted sapsucker continues to work the Mediterranean buckthorn at South Lake. I'd often figured all the holes in a given tree were made by several sapsuckers over many seasons, but this single bird is creating quite a tapestry.

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