Himantopus mexicanus

Went birding at the Palo Alto Baylands along the San Francisco Bay this afternoon. This area is one of the best in the bay area for birding in general, as well as one of the most reliable spots in the state to see California Clapper Rail and the extremely elusive and shy Black Rail, both of which are federally protected due to their sensitive status.

No rails today, but we were blessed with an atypically un-shy Black Necked Stilt, who was feeding in shallowly-covered bay mud just outside the interpretative center. These things are notoriously skittish, at least in my experience, so I was amazed as it waddled closer and closer with no apparent apprehension. Of the approximately 2 bajillion pictures I took, I liked this one a lot because it shows the afternoon sun lighting the marsh up golden in the background. It was a beautiful sunny day out today.

The Black Necked Stilt represents one of just a few species of stilt and resides throughout the Americas in relatively stable numbers. Its cousin, the Black Stilt, on the other hand, is the rarest wading bird in the world, endemic to New Zealand with a wild population delicately hovering around 100.