Birding is a funny thing. Dana and I have only birding seriously since Christmas, which accounts for some of this, but today I was really excited when I was down by Capitol Lake to identify two spotted sandpipers (one of which is pictured here, already in winter plummage). These were a first for me, and like many peeps, they were small, cute and fun to watch. Upon reading up on them upon my return home, I noted from the field guide "The Birds of Washington State," by Brian H. Bell and Gregory Kennedy, that "apart from the ubiquitous Killdeer, the Spotted Sandpiper is perhaps North America's best-known and most easily identified shorebird." What's funny about all of this is that the thrill of seeing these charming birds for the first time was fantastic, and not in any way diminished by learning of their abundance. According to the distribution map, they winter in this part of the state which suggests these guys just showed up.
Also pictured is a great blue heron with a big fish in its throat, which I found very amusing.