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Submitted: February 18, 2009
Image Size: 3.2 MB
Resolution: 3939×3030

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Comments: 11
Favourites: 30 [who?]
Views: 260 (1 today)

Camera Data

Make:Canon
Model:Canon EOS 40D
Shutter Speed:1/1024 second
Aperture:F/10.0
Focal Length:263 mm
ISO Speed:200
Date Taken:Nov 28, 2008, 2:13:54 PM

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Sanderlings 40D0033576by ~Cristian-M

Photography / Animals, Plants & Nature / Birds

Sanderlings (Calidris alba)

The Sanderling is a small wader. It is a circumpolar Arctic breeder, and is a long-distance migrant, wintering south to South America, South Europe, Africa, and Australia. It is highly gregarious in winter, sometimes forming large flocks on coastal mudflats or sandy beaches.

In spring, the birds arrival on the High Arctic breeding grounds (see map), where they lay 3-4 eggs in a ground scrape. Later in the summer, the face and throat become brick-red. On the nesting grounds, these birds mainly eat insects and some plant material. The winter bird is very pale, almost white apart from a dark shoulder patch. This is the source of the specific name, alba, which is the Latin for "white". The juvenile bird is spangled black and white, and shows much more contrast than the adult.

Sanderling behavior is distinctive, but visually, if the size is misjudged, a breeding plumage sanderling can be mistaken for some varieties of stint, or a winter plumage sanderling can be mistaken for a Dunlin or Red Knot. It can be told from other small wading birds, given good views, by its lack of a hind toe.

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