Winter is my favorite time of the year for bird photography. I live in the Pacific Northwest where winter’s the time of the year for waterfowl like ducks, geese and swans. There’s also an amazing variety of other birds that hang out in or near the water. The Black Turnstone is one of my favorites.

These robin-sized shorebirds are found along the Pacific Coast during the winter. They can be spotted on the rocks at the edge of the water or on the beach foraging for food at high tide.

The turnstone in the photo at the top of the post was on the jetty at Brackett’s Landing on the Edmonds, Washington, waterfront. Edmonds is close to Seattle and an easy place to visit for birdwatching if you’re in the Seattle area.

The bird below was in a group of turnstones foraging on the beach at the Semiahmoo spit in Blaine, Washington. These turnstones were flipping rocks over looking for snacks.

Semiahmoo is near the Canadian border and is one of the premier spots in the Northwest for water birds. Be sure to visit if you get a chance and keep your eyes open for Black Turnstones!