Pic of the Day

Ruddy Turnstone, Arenaria interpres, in winter plumage, stretching:

Dunedin Causeway to Honey Moon Island, Florida

Pic of the Day

Black-bellied Plover, Pluvialis squatarola

Fort Desoto State Park; Saint Petersburg, Florida

     While shooting the American Oystercatcher in the previous post, these shorebirds kept running along the beach digging sand crabs from the sand.  These two ran right in front of me allowing me to get these up close portraits.  March 2nd  was a pretty good morning at Fort Desoto State Park. 

Ruddy Turnstone, Arenaria interpres

Fort Desoto State Park; Saint Petersburg, Florida

Both images:  Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/2500 sec. @ f8

Pic of the Day

 Ruddy Turnstone, Arenaria interpres runs along the beach swash zone

Fort DeSoto State Park; Saint Petersburg, Florida

     While I was photographing the American Oystercatcher in the previous post, Ruddy Turnstones flew onto the beach and began probing the sand along the Swash Beach Zone.   Within seconds the turnstones were pulling Sand Crabs, Emerita (genus) from the sand.  Sand Crabs, also known as mole crabs, or sand fleas have barrel-shaped bodies with tough exoskeletons and short appendages that are held close to the body that allows it roll in tidal currents and waves.

     While the Willets and Black-bellied Plovers were swallowing the Sand Crabs whole, the Ruddy Turnstones pulled the sand crabs from the sand and pecked into them from their softer underside to get to the fleshy internal parts.  

     The following sequence shows a bit of the turnstones feeding process.  The sequence shows two different birds

 Ruddy Turnstone pulls a Sand Crab from the swash zone.

Ruddy Turnstone devouring Sand Crab

Pic of the Day

Ruddy Turnstone, Arenariua interpres:

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve; Huntington Beach, California
Ruddy Turnstone turning a mossy stone.
Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1000 second @ f8