The tidal flat, exposed after the tide recedes, becomes a temporary stopover for migratory birds. The warm golden sunset blurs the sky and the flat into a single soft orange, as a flock of waterbirds flutters their wings, weaving dynamic silhouettes in the air.

Some have just folded their wings and landed, their sharp beaks tapping the wet mud to peck at the shellfish hidden in the intertidal zone; others are taking flight, their wings slicing through the warm light, casting shadows on the backs of their companions. They need not hurry onward—only in this brief pause, they let the saltiness of the sea breeze and the warmth of the sunset soak into their feathers.

When twilight spreads over the coastline, they will line up again and fly toward a warmer distance, leaving the lingering warmth of this tidal flat behind on their migratory journey.