Mikepércs: Dunlins

It was said to be overcast this morning, but as it isn't completely cloudy at dawn, I start.
I can't see many birds at the pond, mainly the running coots at the opposite shore, where the water is deeper.
I'm waiting for the birds which don't appear en masse, only one or two wood sandpipers, ruffs and spotted redshanks are coming now and then. Slowly a couple of stilts and a couple of avocets and a few black-headed gulls appear but the presence of the godwits is evident as I can hear their cry.
The two avocets marches along the pondbed regularly. One of them comes really close:

Avocet

This male ruff often chases the females which are nearby him:

Ruff (male)

Ruff (female)

One of the godwits is feeding almost on the same place all time, it doesn't want to come closer.

Suddenly a small flock of dunlins lands in the shallow water. They scour the shore section nearby back and forth regularly:

Dunlin

Dunlin

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

Mikepércs: Nuptial Activity of Black-headed Gulls

Today has been a very rich day in photos.

Getting up early again, I was taking photos of gulls at around 5:30:

Black-headed Gull

I could witness their nuptial activity as well. After some prodding the male gave the female a fish:

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull 

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Then a short brake took place ...:

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

... and prodding again:

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Then my attention was attracted by other birds and when I looked at the gulls again they were mating already:

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

The wind was blowing so this dunlin has been recorded among waves:

Dunlin

It was the gulls' turn again:

Black-headed Gull

Preening:

Black-headed Gull

Sometimes the dunlins came very close:

Dunlin

Then the gulls' behaviour was interesting again:

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Landing:

Black-headed Gull

Chasing a rival:

Black-headed Gull

The white-winged black terns played a role as well:

White-winged Black Tern

White-winged Black Tern

The avocets were moving intensely around the hide:

Avocet

Then a caught sight of some kind of plover which I haven't seen before. It was picking food further then it came closer. I only figured out at home that it was a turnstone:

Turnstone

Turnstone

The avocets were scything the water:

Avocet

Later the lapwings arrived:

Lapwing

This redshank was running perhaps after its mate:

Redshank