We've spent some time at Coyote Hills Regional Park, near the Dumbarton Bridge, and now it's time to explore the Hayward Regional Shoreline, near the San Mateo Bridge. Though not as beautiful and diverse as Coyote Hills, Hayward Shoreline has quite a number of birds and a nice spot to watch the the San Francisco Bay.
Click below for more Hayward critters.
Large flocks of seabirds rest in the shallow marshes and occasionally burst into the air, swirl around, and then settle down in the mud again. They seem to know exactly when they want to do this, totally in unison. It's either telepathy or they're all listening to right wing talk radio.
Egrets aren't nearly as social, and though they occasionally gather in groups, they are most likely to stalk the marshes alone, looking for little fish and mice and other unsuspecting creatures. They are the cats of the marsh, and to watch an egret stalk its prey is roughly like watching the final sequence of Silence of the Lambs. Tension, tension, then...POUNCE.
More birds shopping for dinner.
A Forster's Tern hovers, looking for a treat.
This long-nosed fellow got lucky.
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