American Goldfinch

You wouldn't think of them as water birds, but there is a flock of goldfinches that return every year to the marsh and river side.  They are fearless little birds, often landing closer that 11-1/2 feet from where I'm standing.  I know it is less than that because that is as close as my telephoto lens will focus.

When the tide recedes and exposes the shoreline, they can be found in flocks picking among the exposed pea gravel.  It took me a long time to solve the mystery of what they found so attractive.  For a while, I thought it was the broken bits of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV).  I thought perhaps they needed some greens in their diet.  I would see them picking up the stems and appear to be eating them.  Then, one day I took a closer look at the SAV.  I now think they are attracted to the snails that can be found on grass.