Sunday 5 January 2014

Dull Day At The Coast



The Turnstone  Arenaria interpres

 

Some fishermen were gutting fish not far away from where I took these shots, and threw the heads to the waiting gulls and the Turnstones  got in on the action. They run really fast, and this one got there before a nearby gull.


 








There were a small group of them on the rocks and down below on the seaweed covered stones.
 

No matter how I tried I couldn't  get a decent shot, especially one showing the eyes whch were very dark.


 

I'm posting this shot to show you the size of the Turnstone in comparison to the Herring Gull,. It almost disapears amonst the seaweed.


 
We only live half an hour from the coast, so often go for a seafood meal and I take my camera along just in case. disapointingly on this day at the beginning of summer it turned out to be a really dull day, so this is the best I could manage.I was pleased however to see the Turnstones busily engaged in looking for food which they find by foraging in seaweed, and by flipping over pebbles to find prey underneath.This behaviour is the origin of it's name Turnstone. The male is distinguished by slightly brighter colours, as seen in second photo. It feeds on crustaceans molluscs and worms.

56 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

those turnstones have some wonderful colors and feather patterns! not a dull day to me at all. :)

Rita Vaselli said...

These photos are very instructive to understand the size of seagulls ... even here there are different sizes, but compared to what I observe here in Italy, it seems so different the color of the feathers.
I wish you a nice start of the year and I'm glad to see your post!
Warm hugs, Rita.

karmnik54 said...

Piękne ptaszki:)

Marijke said...

You can be proud of the shots you have made from the birds. I don't think they live overhere.
Have a wonderful evening Sonjia.

Joke (Joke's Camera) said...

The colors of the bird are fantastic, just as your pictures are, Sonjia. What a wonderful place to be. The difference in size of the birds is particularly clear on your last picture. Great post. Greetings from the Netherlands, Joke

Adam said...

wow Mr. Fish doesn't look very happy, great photos

Linda said...

Perhaps it was a dull day, but your photos are absolutely glorious!!!

Maria said...

The Tumstone is very small compared to the Gull. Nice ecosystem you have on the coast.

seijastiina said...

Beautiful birds.
Great photos.
Have a wonderful new week ♥

Shaun said...

beautiful images, some really striking colours in those birds. Well done

Joop Zand said...

Very good photo's..... nice work again.

Greetings, Joop

Breathtaking said...

TexWisGirl

If I remember correctly these photos were taken in March last year, and the weather was sunny and warm, but dull on that day. However the little Turnstones do brighten up these pictures with their vivid coloured feathers.
Glad you think so too!:)

Breathtaking said...

Rita Vaselli

Thank you for your visit Rita. I will be showing more gulls in future posts.
Hugs and kisses.

Breathtaking said...

Karmnik54

Hi! Yes indeed, a nice looking bird.

Breathtaking said...

Marijke Verdonk

Good morning Marijke!:) I would have been better pleased had I been able to show the eyes. They are attractive birds however, and
I am happy to show them.

Enjoy your day.

Breathtaking said...

Joke Jokes Camera)

Thank you Joke!:)These are the only photos I have taken that were not on our property. It makes a change from my garden visiters!! These sea birds are quite small,but their coppery coloured feathers are lovely.

Breathtaking said...

Adam

Ha ha!!

Breathtaking said...

Linda
Thank you Linda!:) The sky was overcast but we had anything but a dull day.

Bob Bushell said...

I love your Turnstone, a pleasent treat.

Optimistic Existentialist said...

You have such an eye for the beauty in Mother Nature :)

Breathtaking said...

Maria
Hi!:) Yes indeed. It's quite small
and the female at times was hard to distinguish amongst the seaweed which is plentiful in this spot.

Breathtaking said...

Seijastiina
Thank you! It's a nice little sea bird.

Breathtaking said...

Shaun Gibbs
Hello Shaun!:) So nice to see you here.Thank you for your comment.:)

Breathtaking said...

Joop Zand

Thank you Joop!:)It makes a change both for myself and for my blogging friends to see something a little different.Something that wasn't captured in my garden!
Cheers.

magda said...

Αγαπητή μου Rita
Τι υπέροχες φωτογραφίες, όπως στο National Geographic!!!!!
Είσαι εξαιρετική φωτογράφος!!!
Σου στέλνω τα συγχαρητήρια μου καθώς και την αγάπη μου!
Να έχεις μια ευλογημένη χρονιά με υγεία και ευτυχία!

Giga said...

Rybacy dobrze robią, że wyrzucają resztki z ryb, bo ptaki mają ucztę. Pozdrawiam.
Fishermen are doing well, that throw the remains of fish, because the birds have a feast. Yours.

Breathtaking said...

Bob Bushell
Thank you Bob!:)It does make a change from my usual posts.Glad you like it!:)

Teresa said...

Preciosas fotografías. Saludos.

Breathtaking said...

Optimistic Existentialist

Hello Keith

It's kind of you to say so. My eye is trained as an artist, so colour perspective and composition
are second nature to me.I'm sure this helps.
I will be over to see you soon.
Take care.

Breathtaking said...

magda

Dear Magda, I am really pleased you like these photos, and thank you for your generous comment, although I'm not sure I deserve it.

Kisses and best wishes to you and yours.

Breathtaking said...

Giga
I agree Giga! Fish heads make very good stock for soups but instead they made the birds day.
Cheers.

Stephanie said...

The first bird, hungry and cold? It is walking with a hunchback hehe... Happy New Year to you and your family and may you all have a good health and wonderful year! Keep posting great pictures yeah. I love them all :*

Stuart Price said...

The Turnstone and fish head pic is great!

Breathtaking said...

Teresa
Thank you Teresa!:)

Breathtaking said...

Stephanie
Thank you for your lovely comment Steph:) I think you may be right Stephanie,now you mention it, she does look all hunched up as though she is cold.
Thank you for your good wishes also. I hope it will be a happy and healthy 2014.
Kisses.

Breathtaking said...

Stuart Price
Thank you Stuart!:) I like that one the best.
Cheers.

Mike Attwood said...

I think its all been said, Happy New Year.

Sonia Aguiar said...

Querida Sonjia:) Es una serie de fotos muy hermosa, y agradezco que la muestres. Muy buen trabajo!
Un abrazo cariñoso, Sonia.

Anonymous said...

Interesting post and I like the photos too. What a wonderful colored camouflage suit. Exactly made for not be seen in the sea weed. I also like the feather pattern of the Heering Gull, a little bit graphic.
Best regards from
Monica

Noushka said...

You did well to take your camera!
You have done great photos of the Turnstone.
Both birds have an exquisite plumage if we detail them thoroughly!
you are lucky to live so close to the sea-side, the ideal distance to get all the best from it without climate inconveniences!!
Keep well!

Noushka said...

HAHA!
We were on each other's blog at the very same time! LOL!
All my best wishes for a great 2014 year to you too, Sonjia!
You are not the only one telling me you don't see light colored buzzard in England...
your comment is interesting....
I would have thought some individuals from the northern countries would migrate to the southern parts of the British isles too.
So it looks like they come down quite exclusively to where I live, north of the Pyrenees mountains.
Cheers, keep well!

Breathtaking said...

Mike Attwood
Thanks for your visit Mike, and your good wishes.

Breathtaking said...

Sonia Aguiar

Thank you Sonia!:)I almost did not post them, as the quality is not up to my own pernickity standards. I'm so pleased you like them.
Warm hugs.

Unknown said...

These are good pictures of lovely patterned birds. They must be the size of chickens as they almost dwarfed the seagulls. Must say that it was not a dull day at all!

Ana Mínguez Corella said...

Beautiful pictures.. Congrats.. :-))))

Anonymous said...

beautiful turnstones, great shots!

S. Etole said...

Really intriguing birds.

coco said...

wonderful colors! beautiful!

Silenciosamente ouvindo... said...

Excelentes fotos, como sempre nos
habituou.
Bj. e desejo que esteja bem.
Irene Alves

Breathtaking said...

M
I'm so pleased you like the photos Monica.:) I almost didn't show them! Yes, it is perfectly camouflaged amongst the seaweed.
Herring Gulls are also very attractive birds.

Breathtaking said...

Noushka
Há há!! We were thinking about each other!:)) Thank you for saying the Turnstone pictures are great. I love sharing my photos especially with someone so knowledgable.

I live in Northern Portugal Eileen, not in England!!

Breathtaking said...

Stiletto ElsieXie

Thank you Elsie!:)I should have entitled my post Dull Weather At THe Coast! It was anything but a dull day! It always makes my day when I see something of interest to photograph.

Breathtaking said...

Ana Minguez Corella

michaelswoodcraft

S. Etole

coco

Thank you so much.:)

Breathtaking said...

Silenciosamente ouvindo

Thank you Irene. You are always so generous with your comments.
Keep well.
Beijos.

Barbara said...

I use to live by the sea and all of our streets were named after the shorebirds. I lived on Curlew and the street next to me was Turnstone. I remember seeing a Curlew on the shore but never saw a Turnstone. So glad to see one here on your blog. So pretty.

Breathtaking said...

Barbara
What a nice idea to name streets after sea birds.Glad you stopped by Barbara.:)

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...