Everything else eats insects at this time of the year, so why not a harrier?

Two weeks ago it was shearwaters, last week it was the brown booby and now it is a phalarope.

Unexpected is not an understatement. A brown booby is a pelagic species that some birders make special trips to the Dry Tortugas to see.

Long narrow wings and a fairly robust body, running along the water’s surface to become airborne, oceanic and a tube on top of their beaks to excrete excess salt. All are characteristics of shearwaters.

On July 19, Red Beach was a perfect seven for seven.

Nobody claims shorebirds are easy to identify.