When you go the the beach, you typically see a wide variety of birds. The dainty shore birds like plovers and sandpipers are highly respected. Several of the beaches around here even have spots sectioned off during breeding season to protect their babies! They put on quite a show when they are running up and down the beach to avoid the waves. Most people can generally agree that shorebirds are delightful.
Terns are also fun to watch as they act like little acrobats. They fly high above the water and then nose dive in hopes of catching some food. Special protections are put in place for terns during nesting season as well. I never have a hard time finding terns if they are nearby because they have such distinct calls.
Then you have gulls. Many people find them to be pests. Some people just downright hate them. There is also a HUGE debate between novice and experienced birders about the term “seagull“. Most of the issues that people associate with gulls are largely caused by the actions of other people. Personally, I love gulls. I find them to be highly entertaining and they are GREAT models. I think they have a bad reputation that is not entirely fair. Gulls are always at the beach no matter the weather or time of year so I have found them to be very reliable subjects.
If you live near the water and have some time to kill, I would highly recommend doing some bird photography.
