park

Today when I went down to the park, it was cloudy and windy and raining a little bit. When I was by the breakwater, I saw four female goldeneyes and one duck that was on a patch of grass. When I was by sage beach, I saw a lot of shorebirds and some seagulls on sage rock. When I was nearing the park, I saw a group of goldeneyes out on the water by the shore. When I was in the park, I saw a squirrel in the trees. When I was at the battle site bench, it was high tide and I saw no seagulls. When I was by the trail by the river, I saw some seagulls farther out on the water. When I was on the trail by the river, I saw someone on the other side of the river walk out of the forest and pick something wight off the ground then walk back into the forest, scaring away some of the ducks. When I was on my way back home, I saw some juncos and a squirrel in a tree.
What did that person on the other side of the river pick up off the ground?
Why were there no seagulls at the battle site bench?
Why did some of the ducks not fly off?