Natural Selection

As I was passing North Shore after work to collect Jane from the college I had a quick stop at the go kart track and former boating pool to look at the waders.

I assume that many of the Turnstones still here well into the spring are non-breeders, though I could be wrong about that. There were a couple of birds more advanced than others in getting some summer plumage, giving some nice contrasts in the sun.

You can see to some extent where the full name of Ruddy Turnstone comes from with the birds starting to enter summer plumage as the newer chestnut feathers appear.

I had a good luck for the wintering Purple Sandpiper among the throng of 40 or so Turnstones and it wasn’t there. I did eventually pick it out distantly on the inner wall of the track with Redshanks and smaller numbers of Turnstone.

It can’t be too much longer before the Purple Sandpiper leaves for the summer. Fingers crossed it comes back again later in the year.