ML292300611

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

On land at sandy shore of Dyer Cove. I approached to see if it was injured and if it could be put it in a more protected area. Iit waddled away when I got close and went back in the water. It swam briefly on the surface (photos) and then swam fully submerged. After it popped up again, it came back ashore and I retreated, figuring not much more could be done. We chanced to meet a seabird biologist from California who specializes in alcids--what are the odds?--who suggested that they don't do well in rehab and that transport itself is hugely traumatic. It was his lifer Dovekie. The three of us stayed by for half-an-hour to keep watch and make sure no person/dog disturbed it. Ultimately we left. Upon reviewing photos we noticed an asymmetry of feathers out f place or perhaps an injury on the lower left flank. Not sure what that's about and it if is related to the bird being on shore. Oddly this is one year, to the day, that two Dovekies were at Two Lights SP, just 1.2 km away!

Technical information

Model

DMC-FZ300

ISO

160

Focal length

98.5 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/8.0

Shutter speed

1/125 sec

Dimensions

3576 pixels x 2682 pixels

Original file size

2.78 MB