Monday, January 19, 2009

Turnstones


Our good friend at Ramsey Daily Photo just posted a photograph of a turnstone but her bird is very camouflaged and difficult to see properly. So I thought I'd show you the ones I saw last March on Paignton Harbour.


They were walking around pecking at the concrete and checking out the puddles quite unconcened about the people passing close by.


The Arenaria interpres are intrepid wee birds that can fly at 40 mph and cover 350 miles in a day. They winter in the UK and then pop off to the Baltic, Greenland or Canada for the summer to breed.

10 comments:

  1. I've never heard of these birds before..they're so sweet. I especially like the reflections in the water..

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love turnstones, they are such characters, always a joy to see (and hear!) as they turn the stones on the beach

    ReplyDelete
  3. I haven't ever seen these birds, they are lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  4. They are adorable birds. We have groups of them all the time on the beach. Thanks you for the link. I think mine may have been too odd today. I'll do the colour one soon.

    ReplyDelete
  5. In the first photo, they almost look like they were walking in formation.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Here in the desert heat
    I cool myself
    revelling in the cool
    of your pictures
    and enjoying the privilege
    of hearing your voice. Fran Sbrocchi

    ReplyDelete
  7. Fabulous birds - their name tells us exactly what they do.
    We saw some last week on the Mersey estuary.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gerald,
    What a magical photo the second is. Well taken!
    Gwilym

    ReplyDelete
  9. Beatiful bird. Yep, I had not seen them either ever. I like it better in the last image. Nice plumage.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I grew up in Cornwall where Turnstones (and the gorgeous Oystercatchers) were frequent beach and estuary visitors. So it was with some surprise that I saw them on your blog. Turnstones? Cheshire? Then I read on ... nice place Paignton. We went to the zoo there when I was a child on holiday in 'England'.

    ReplyDelete