Some photos of Purple Pipers at Jones Beach, NY, last Saturday (Feb. 28).

Unusually there were dozens if not more of these shorebirds present, and not only on their favored rocky habitats, but running around on the beach in multitudes with Sanderlings and Dunlins. I suspect the intense cold and snow storms we've had over the past two months affected their food supply on the jetties, leading them to forage with their cousins. These birds nest in the Arctic tundra and overwinter in our middle latitudes. In a sense, by favoring the expansion of the polar vortex, climate change was bringing the Arctic conditions they migrate away from right to them.
#birds #birding #birdphotography #birdsofmastodon #biodiversity #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #winterbirds #shorebirds #peeps #PurpleSandpiper

These Sanderlings and a Purple Sandpiper are not BFFs, but rather a nice example of niche partitioning, which can occur when two species with overlapping ecological niches share a habitat. These two small members of the Sandpiper genus Calidris are similarly sized, have similar body forms and similar dietary preferences for small invertebrates. However, Sanderlings are generalist feeders, adapting to a large range of food resources, which allows them to overwinter in this area (they can really boogie down when a large horseshoe crab carcass washes ashore in midwinter). They move around in large flocks, although they may disperse while feeding. They generally seem to prefer foraging on sandy beaches, where they seem to perform the Macarena at the surf-line. But, they are not reticent about feeding in other seashore habitats.

Purple Sandpipers seem to be more solitary in their foraging, although they will move around in small groups. They are also more specialized, foraging on small inverts living among the algae growing on rocky jetties and the like. They may be observed scurrying around jetties, completely undeterred by vertical rock faces, which they negotiate with the skill of Spiderman, with their big yellow feet, flexible toes and great coordination.

So, this group of Sanderlings found a pleasant lunch spot on these rocks. On the horizontal rock faces, they enjoy a competitive advantage over their Purple cousin, who accompanied them (possibly got some protection in the group), but fed on the vertical surfaces.

#birds #birding #birdphotography #birdsofmastodon #biodiversity #naturephotography #wildlife #ecology #Calidridae #Sanderlings #PurpleSandpiper

Purple Sandpipers

Purple Sandpipers foraged quietly on barnacle-covered jetty rocks in Cape May, revealing a surprising adaptation to a rugged, wave-splashed habitat.

https://islandinthenet.com/purple-sandpiper/

A sunny day here in #Devon and a trip to the seaside with two of the Daves. My first Black-throated Diver of the year started us off nicely but I have to say the close views of Purple Sandpiper and the mother and cub Grey Seal playing together were probably my fave things of the day. Marvellous.

#nature #Wildlife #Brixham #GreySeal #PurpleSandpiper #BirdsofMastodon #birds #birding #LymeBay #Mindfulness

https://youtu.be/iwxO_CD_Bdw?si=AbRU7H2gB5SnLMNG

Favorite bird photos of 2023 - DECEMBER. Feel free to add yours in the comments.

#birding #BirdPhotography #lifer #PurpleSandpiper #SolaceInNature #creationstruck

Last Sunday’s mist and fog and clouds couldn’t prevent us from adding a Purple Sandpiper to our lifer list.

#birding #PurpleSandpiper #BirdPhotography #SolaceInNature #creationstruck #NaturePhotography

One from the archive; a #PurpleSandpiper on the sea wall at the harbour, #Newcastle, #CountyDown.

#nature #NaturePhotography #wildlife #bird #birds #wader #wadingbird #sandpiper #sea #coast #NorthernIreland @RSPB @RSPBNI