Sanderlings are ubiquitous across the globe's shorelines and are one of my favorite birds. Their movement and plucky spirit are delightful. When I took this photo, I was a country kid living in New York City and my reconnection to nature came in the form of birding on NYC's famous Rockaway beaches. Having grown up in a landlocked state, the ocean opened up a whole new world of animals I'd never seen before. I spent hours watching flocks of sanderlings run, feed, and fly around in magnificent, chaotic unity.