Now that I've wrapped the pick your starfish colour photo you want to see, moving onto -
What sea loving #bird do you want to see from a distance (birds are in focus but far away from me & not close ups)?

Pick one.
Same time limit - 30 minutes.
Both photos were shot on same up island work related trip, in late Fall of 2022.

Great Blue Heron
44%
Kingfisher
56%
Poll ended at .
Vote for your bird of choice! Quickie poll.
17 minutes left to choose:
Great Blue Heron or Kingfisher 😊
It's almost head to head tie now, between Great Blue Heron & Kingfisher! Unlike last poll - this one is unpredictable.
5 minutes left to choose your bird! It is 50:50 now.
Tight picks. Kingfisher won so that's the next photo I'll share soon ✌️
@PhoenixSerenity I love kingfishers, although I've hardly seen any in life.
@ml I've heard more than seen. They also usually move so fast to get a good shot. This one had been busy working all day on waters & I caught it in a brief rest moment. I love their calls!
@PhoenixSerenity I really need to get better at bird sound ID. I can only identify maybe 5 birds by sound.
@ml Get the Merlin app! It's amazing & easy to use.
@PhoenixSerenity @ml I second the recommendation for Merlin (also it’s free).
@Lizbon @PhoenixSerenity Thanks, both of you!
@ml @Lizbon It will be super good addictive! You can just hold phone up & it will ID the call for you.
@ml @PhoenixSerenity It’s super-fun! I’ve accidentally learned to identify most of the birds that live (or migrate through) here, thanks to Merlin.
@Lizbon @ml I love using it on nature walks & in our yards 😊
@PhoenixSerenity it's challenging to get a photo of them, they are so flighty.
@rodbotic Yes, so very flighty!! I watched this one work waters for over 2 hrs before it took a long perching break.
@PhoenixSerenity i have been within 10 feet of one once. He seemed to feel safe being on the other side of a railing.
@rodbotic They were more OK with me closer to them, when in a canoe or kayak.