Bird of the Day, theme 'Coastal & River'

natureAug 28, 20261293,559

Bird of the Day is a daily community event; today's theme is Coastal & River, with an alternate theme Rocky for any bird shot that includes a rock. Contributors are sharing coastal and river species in photography, including shorebirds, gulls, herons, divers, kingfishers, oystercatchers, gannets, swans, and juvenile plovers, often as reflections, low-light island scenes, or rock-perched portraits. Standout posts include a juvenile black-bellied plover noted alongside a comment that North American populations have declined by more than 50% over the last 50 years, a Great Northern Diver/Common Loon in summer plumage, and a young herring gull captured with its reflection in the water. Look for shorebirds on rocky riverbanks, feeding tricolored herons at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, and twofers that hit both Coastal & River and Rocky in the same frame.

Amy Gann

@amygann.bsky.social

Egret seems to be wondering why the great blue heron is so disheveled. For the #birdoftheday theme of #coastal&river and #rocky

A disheveled looking great blue heron stands on a rock in the river. Behind it, an out of focus egret has its head tilted to the side. The heron had been preening and shook its feathers afterward. This is before they settled completely

3105h ago

Aintright2

Lovely shot, Amy. He does look like he flew through a hedge. 😂

Susana1

You really going out in that get-up? - Egret, sounding like my mom

Neil Cameron1

Gorgeous shot, Amy. Those flashes of red/ginger feathers that GBHs have always intrigues me. It always looks out of place, and also first thought is often, "blood?"

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)1

Good question. But I see you answered it in the ALT text. Nice one. 👍🏼

Yvonne Redknap1

Great shot, Amy. The heron isn't happy that you took his photo before he could get himself looking good. 😂

Alan H

@alan678.bsky.social

Good morning birders and buddies. Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #Coastal&River any coastal or river birds. Alt: #Rocky any bird capture with a rock in view. Please remember to support each other, it’s a community. 🙏🏼😊 A Dunlin taken two days ago. #birds #photography #ECK

A Dunlin in flight just above a rocky shoreline, wings fully spread and legs tucked beneath its body. Its finely patterned brown and grey plumage is clearly visible, with the bird flying past seaweed-covered rocks and a large rounded boulder, with calm water softly blurred in the background.

2207h ago

Marjo Slingerland-Boks2

Morning Alan, that is a lovely photo and bird💛 Wonderful themes for this day, canals doesn't count i think 🤔Need to dive in the archive ✨️

diddlydog.bsky.social1

Top capture Alan. Plenty going on there.

Atlantic Birding1

Beautiful shot Alan. Great themes too

alisonwillis1.bsky.social1

Super shot Alan. Beautiful setting.

Sharon1

Beautiful shot 👏 Good morning Alan. ☕️

Den 🇮🇪1

Very cool. That's a great shot Alan. Hope your day has started well. 👋

PacBirds

@pacbirds.bsky.social

A crisp juvenile black-bellied plover (a.k.a. grey plover) for the #Coastal&Rivers theme of #BirdOfTheDay picked by @alan678.bsky.social In N. America this species has lost more than 50% of its population over the last 50 years mainly due to #ClimateChange #NABCI #birds #nature #photography #ECK

A stocky salt-and-pepper backed plover with stubby black bill and striking black eye in the dunes among salt grass.

2064h ago

Amy Gann1

Thr creatures of the planet deserve better than human greed gives them

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)1

Such a beautiful bird, and a great photo. 😍 It is scandalous what humankind is doing to the environment. We will, and are, suffering because of it.

Rina

@rina2012.bsky.social

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #Coastal&River Alt: #Rocky I'm going with a young herring gull and its reflection in the water. 🪶 #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Germany #wildlife #photography #nature #thelittlethings #ECK #Scape

A young herring gull with grey-brown-speckled plumage is standing on a greenish rock on a rocky bank. Its white head and body are clearly reflected on the surface of the water in the foreground.

1146h ago

Alan H2

Beautifully captured Rina. Love that reflection. A very cool shot. 😍😍😘

Marjo Slingerland-Boks1

Good morning dear Rina, what a wonderful photo with this reflection ✨️🤍

Doug Engstrom1

I'm not sure that bird likes what it sees looking back at it.

Atlantic Birding

@atlanticbirding.bsky.social

🪶 Alan has chosen #Coastal&River birds as today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme. Alt. is #Rocky, any capture with a rock in view. Here’s a coastal Great Northern Diver (Common Loon) in summer plumage. #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #nature #Flyday

1177h ago

Barrie Cull2

Brilliant capture AB 👏 They are such lovely birds.

Alan H1

Haven’t got one yet AB. What a fabulous bird and capture. They are stunning. 🤩

Marjo Slingerland-Boks1

They are so beautiful to see and hear✨️ I wish we had thene here to. Lovely photo AB✨️

Gray1

This lovely photo inspires, thanks, AB. 🙏🏼 Look forward to one day seeing a loon in proximity, one among so so many birds of which yet I’ve only seen here. 🖖🏼

Debbie Cavers1

Gorgous shot AB, love the loons ,such a haunting call that draws you in

Neil Cameron1

What a lovely shot, AB.

Jamie Scott 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

@jcsctoan.bsky.social

Today's #BirdofTheDay theme is #Coastal&River, with alt theme #Rocky. I've gone for a twofor with this Oystercatcher on a rock by the riverside. Have a good day folks #NaturePhotography #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #birds #birdphotography #birdwatching #ECK

915h ago

Aintright

@aintright.bsky.social

Kevin the Kingfisher #BirdOfTheDay #Coastal&River #rocky #ECK #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #wildlife #nature #Photography #Nikon #PhotographersUnited #PhotographersOfBlueSky

925h ago

Dave Meredith

@davemeredith.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Coastal&River with the alternative theme #Rocky. A juvenile Red Knot on the Lake Huron shoreline during autumn migration. #BruceCounty #ECK #photography #TenMinutesFromHome #VintageLens #ManualFocus #Velvia #2000s

754h ago

Yvonne Redknap

@yredknap.bsky.social

For today's #BirdOfTheDay theme #Coastal&River, I have a great blue heron and a canada goose. #photography #birds #ECK

A great blue heron is standing in shallow water, as a canada goose swims by. The heron is on the left side of the image, looking to the right. Behind the heron are several small branches of a shrub. As the goose swims by, he leaves a trail of ripples behind him. The water reflects the green vegetation around it.

795h ago

Alan H1

Great shot Yvonne. Love it. 🥰

Marjo Slingerland-Boks1

What a beautiful photo Yvonne ✨️

Rosemarie

@roabrams.bsky.social

Where Gardiner’s Bay meets Three MileHarbor, East Hampton , NY For #BirdoftheDay themes #Coastal&River any coastal or river birds. Alt: #Rocky any bird capture with a rock in view. #scape

Early morning light over Gardiner’s Bay where it meets Three Mile harbor . Gulls stand on rocks and some are in flight. Sky at horizon has a pink tone

623h ago

acleareyedsoul.bsky.social2

Good Morning Rose 🌹 Looks nice

Marjo Slingerland-Boks

@marjosl.eurosky.social

Alan @alan678.bsky.social have set the themes for #BirdOfTheDay in #Coastal&Rivers and the Alt in #Rocky Hopefully this lovely swan family in our canal, from a few years back fits the first theme✨️

A lovely swam family is gliding in canal on a lovely evening a few years back.
Sadly this year I didn't have seen youngsters.on the borders from the canal is reedbed with the light from the setting sun. In the distance is a small wooden bridge.

486h ago

Alan H1

So beautiful Mar. What a gorgeous and theme perfect capture. 😍🤗😘

Rina1

Your canal looks always beautiful, Mar 🥰

Doug Engstrom1

I like the lines in that shot.

SeaLevelOslo

@sealeveloslo.bsky.social

Standing out No closeup this time -- very low light as the grey herons like to hang out on the shadowed sides of the islands in the evening. Should maybe tell it to turn around to not be seen... but hard to see the fish then 😄 #BirdOfTheDay #Coastal&River #Rocky #Scape #sea #birds #photography

A photo of a grey heron standing on watch for fish along the shore of the inner Oslofjord. Grey rock in the background. Seaweed under the bird. Sea water with ripples and reflected white colors from the heron in the foreground.

614h ago

It'sFromJenni

@itsfromjenni.bsky.social

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: "What ?! #Coastal&River ?! ... Here is no coastal ... You can´t see anything ... Go on ..." #Birds #RingedPlover #ECK

Ein Sandregenpfeifer am Strand.

A sandpiper on the beach.

596h ago

Michael R Photography 🌿

@msriffle.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Coastal&River. This tricolored heron was photographed while feasting on small fish at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge near St. Marks Florida. They are one of my favorites. #photography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #ECK #birds #Birdsky #birders #NikonZ8

592h ago

David Preston

@dave1957.bsky.social

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Coastal&River, with the Alt theme of #Rocky, so here's a gannet from my day at Bempton in June for an easy twofer. #birds #photography

A northern gannet (Morus bassanus) standing on a rocky ledge, looking over its shoulder towards the sea.

576h ago

Barrie Cull1

Great capture David, so sharp and clear 👏

Bird of the Day, theme 'Coastal & River'nature

Bird of the Day, theme 'Coastal & River'

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