photos by Greg Hofmann

8/18/03: The phalaropes are back! These entertaining little birds – specifically, Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalaropus lobatus) – are usually seen on the waters of the open ocean, but every year a small contingent spends part of the early fall in the North Slough (notably Strawberry Lagoon), having returned here from their Arctic breeding grounds. Although the beak and build give them the look of shorebirds, they dine at or near the surface of the water. Sometimes they will swim in a tight circle (giving them the look of windup toys) to create a tiny vortex that pulls food up to the surface.