Reflections on a Sandpiper on a Lazy, Crazy Sunday

It's been a weekend of on-and-off heavy rain. I couldn't even give Superdawg a proper walk yesterday, but I did take my granddaughter Hannah to her soccer game, played in the rain, which she and her team won 2-1. Today we had torrential rain this morning. It finally lifted enough for me to take Superdawg on a short walk. Mostly I have been a couch potato, as I watch one March Madness basketball game after another one. A lazy day is a good thing now and then.

Because I haven't had a chance to write much about walking adventures lately, I thought I would offer this one about a sighting on a beach walk on a previous lazy day:

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A solitary sandpiper is a fascinating bird to watch on a lazy day at the beach. There is major drama by the minute: Will this big wave be the one that finally catches the 'piper off guard and swallows it up? Nope, it never happens. Those long but agile legs keep the sandpiper just out of danger and in business feeding on what wiggles at ocean's edge.

Superdawg and I took a nice walk along the beach this morning. Civilized rules have returned, meaning that companionable dogs with their owners are welcome at any hour It was about a tie as to which old dawg tired first. Let's just say we were both pleasantly fatigued by the time we departed.

As to the Spotted Sandpiper, I discovered in a handy guide entitled "South Carolina Birds" that the female lays her eggs (as many as 20 in four clutches through the summer) and then may begin her migration, leaving the egg incubation and chick-rearing to the male. Only about 1 percent of all birds follow this breeding routine, which is called "polyandry."

All I can say is that it is fortunate we in the human kingdom do not follow this practice of reliance on we guys, or homo sapiens could well gave become extinct by now.

© Robert G. Holland  2013