Shorebirds are so much a part of beach life that it’s almost as though they’re not even there. But sandpipers and gulls are certainly there—overlooked, perhaps, but interesting birds.
Willets
Willets are those long-legged birds that seem to chase the surf in and out. They feed on crustaceans and marine worms too small for humans to even notice, but they’re a feast for the willet.
When startled, Willets will let out a loud screech and run away. Not fly, but run. They can certainly fly—they migrate around 1500 miles every year to breeding grounds—but they run from danger.
They’re a member of the sandpiper family.
Sanderling
Sanderlings are a blast to watch. They’re those little birds that seem to sprint after the receding surf, they run away as it returns. As they’re doing all of that, they stop every once in a while to see if they can grab some food from the wet sand.
They may be small, but they can fly, some of them migrating 6000 miles to breeding grounds in South America.
Laughing Gull
That classic gull cry everyone thinks of when imagining a gull is probably the sound of a Laughing Gull. Loud and raucous, Laughing Gulls are one of the most common summer gulls along the Outer Banks.
They spend their winters in Central and South America, so they are capable of long flights.
Ring-billed Gull
A very easily identified gull. Simply look for the ring on the beak.
Ring-billed gulls tend to congregate in moving colonies of 20-30 or more gulls. They have adopted particularly well to humans, often gathering at garbage dumps, parking lots and anyplace they think food might be available.
There is so much to explore on the Outer Banks. Be sure to start your journey with a stay in a Brindley Beach Vacations home.