Moments From Nature's Secrets

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Mikepércs: Birds In The Mud

I was looking forward to an exciting morning, for the pond has got covered by some fog at dawn. At the left side of my hide the soil is solid, at the right side there is still some water. Between them there's a thick mud which attracts the shore birds. The vegetation at the opposite side is not visible because of the fog. But I can see the stilts at 20-30 meters from me. A young little ringed plover is searching for food nearby. It's very funny to see it patting the ground with one leg in front of it, ...:

Young Little Ringed Plover

Young Little Ringed Plover

... before digging its beak in the mud or making another attempt a few steps further.

Then I have a look at the stilts in the fog:

Black-winged Stilt

Then other small birds appear: Two Temminck's stints! I have seen them previously on this place but from a bigger distance. Now they're coming quite close:

Temminck's Stint

Lovely "ball":

Temminck's Stint

When they get out of my view angle I'm focusing on the stilts again:

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

Young Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

In some distance I discover two unusual shore birds. There are two of them! I know at once they are new for me. Looking into the viewfinder I can say they are most likely broad-billed sandpipers. Great! If only they came closer! And soon they do:

Broad-billed Sandpiper

Then they turn back, but a common sandpiper is closing:

Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

It's coming really close:

Common Sandpiper

A little ringed plover is starting preening itself:

Young Little Ringed Plover

(It had better be a little closer)

Young Little Ringed Plover

A wood sandpiper is landing nearby, but the sludge is so soft that it has to use its wings not to get stuck:

Wood Sandpiper

It spends some time searching for food this way:

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

A little further a young stilt is flapping its wings:

Young Black-winged Stilt

One of the broad-billed sandpipers is approaching again:

Broad-billed Sandpiper

Then it's getting really close:

Broad-billed Sandpiper

Broad-billed Sandpiper

Broad-billed Sandpiper

There are a few dunlins on the pond as well, one of them has a look around near my hide:

Dunlin

Then the Temminck's stints appear again:

Temminck's Stint

Temminck's Stint

Temminck's Stint

Meanwhile the sun is starting to shine, the lights are getting strong, but I can't resist to photograph this wood sandpiper before I leave:

Wood Sandpiper

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