Ah, the dilemma of looking up and identifying a bird and missing a great
agate or other rocky tidbit, or looking down for agates and missing a great
bird. Not to mention the dilemma of "do I take a bird ID book while I walk
the beach and fill a pocket that could otherwise hold rocks?" or leave the
book behind and hope to remember field marks of an unknown flying
friend..... And not to mention the problem of a set of binoculars banging
away at my chest as I bend down to reach for a rocky treasure and pocketsful
of pebbles (or larger) banging away at my thighs. Thank goodness for day
packs.
And thank goodness birds can let us know they are nearby so we beach-going
rock-hunting birders will remember to look up once in a while.

Mary Hrudkaj
North Mason County
hrudkajm at hotmail.com