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Sanderling (Caladris alba) |
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Scotland
The Sanderling breeds on the shores of the Arctic in Siberia and North America and winters on the coasts of Europe, Africa, the
Americas, southern Asia and Australia.
You will find some photos of wintering birds in Brazil here.
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In its wintering grounds it feeds along the wave-break
zone of tidal, sandy beaches where it probes for small invertebrates.
It dashes along the beach with its head forward, tail up and legs a blur
until it finds something to eat and then off it goes again.
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The non-breeding adult is plain grey above and white below. The wintering juvenile, as seen in the first three
photos, has a spangled look on its back with dark feather centres. In flight, it shows a black bordered white wing-bar. In all plumages it lacks a
hind toe. |
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The next 3 photos show Sanderling in Shetland at the end of May when they are moving into their breeding plumage.
In full breeding plumage the head and breast are strongly rufous.
Sanderling do not breed on Shetland and these passage migrants are on their way to either Greenland or Siberia in order to
breed.
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