Earning My Wings

The color patterns on the wing
of this Gull don't look like those
Diane and Dave typically see
on their beach (Western Gull),
 leaving them to suspect this
 is a young California Gull

As I met south Oregon COASST volunteers Diane and Dave to join them for a survey this morning at their beach (OR Mile 99) I had no idea how much I’d learn in just a few hours on the sand. Within minutes of stepping on their kilometer, we had located our first bird - an immature Gull. After years of experience conducting COASST surveys on beaches that average a high number of birds, these two have worked out efficient and practical methods to work with speed and efficiency. Yet they were attentive and patient instructors as well, allowing me to practice my measuring skills and encouraging me to jump right in and help while explaining the purpose and method behind each helpful trick. Little did I know, my practice would come in handy today. Before long, it became clear that this was going to be a pretty busy day, with birds appearing in groups of two or three every 30-50 feet in some sections. Many of them were young Gulls, but others were Pelagic Cormorants, with a Common Murre mixed in for good measure.

Diane and Dave have worked out an impressive processing
system over many years of conducting surveys

I see now through first-hand experience how easy it is for COASSTers to gain a wealth of knowledge about the birds and ecosystems they explore as a part of the program. It is quite impressive what you learn about a bird when you see it up close. Your perspective and appreciation are enhanced.  Of course the company I kept today didn’t hurt either. Dave and Diane gladly shared their treasure trove of knowledge about bird anatomy, taxonomy, and behavior along our survey adventure. They even introduced me to a pair of Black Oystercatchers and their three chicks, a family they have watched mature and thrive all summer. 

The sheaths that are present on this wing indicate this was
a very young bird that was just developing feathers, an
aspect you can only see up close

The last of 22 birds today was
an adult Common Murre

I’m proud to say that four hours later and after processing 22 birds, I am much more aware of the differences between a larid and a pouchbill foot, the emarginated form of a Cormorant feather, and the beautiful variety of shapes, sizes, and colors one can find when closely examining a bird bill. Not to mention a new appreciation for the physical and mental stamina it takes to complete such intense work! And that is just the beginning. Diane and Dave wear many naturalist hats (also specializing in botany, marine vertebrates and invertebrates, and more recently, insects) and anyone lucky enough to join them on the beach is sure to walk away with an enriched sense of wonder. It is the kind of wonder one encounters when you take the time to develop a deep awareness of the world around you. Folks like Dave and Diane exemplify that spirit of curiosity and attentiveness, a common thread I’ve encountered over and over as I’ve met with COASSTers throughout my travels. I’m happy to be ‘earning my wings’ with such admirable people.