A Sandy Refuge for Waders

At high tide these waders had gathered on a small sandy strip on the beach at Lundin Links.

They were mostly oystercatchers , but there were some other species which I didn't manage to identify, however, a curlew was obvious from its unmistakeably shaped bill.

Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover on the beach at Lundin Links.

A very attractive small wader. Another bird that I had to photograph to identify but now I think that I will recognise it easily. Aids to identification are the bright orange legs, the white marking on the face and the black tip to the bill.

More Waders - Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit

Grey Plover

This was a bird that I hadn't seen before, so had to identify from the photo. Pretty certain that it's a grey plover. I think that the stubby short bill identifies it.

Grey Plover and Turnstone

Bar-tailed Godwit

Bar-tailed Godwit at the edge of the tide and Oyster catcher on the rock above

Largo Bay Waders

Curlew, large wader with that amazing bill.

Redshank at the edge of the water.

Oystercatcher

A group of dunlin with an oystercatcher and a redshank far right. (Click on photos to see larger images)

Oystercatchers, redshanks, curlew, and dunlin are four of the waders that one is most likely to see on any winter walk along the shore in Largo Bay and these photos were all taken on my walk yesterday. The Fugi 1000 fd camera that I got for Christmas has a 12x optical zoom so it's easier to obtain resonable photos of the birds from further away. The black and white oystercatchers are numerous and probably the easiest to spot. The curlew is large and the curved down-turned bill is unmistakeable. The redshank is the sentinel of the beach and flies away with a warning cry when disturbed. The dunlin gather together in large groups and at high tide often huddle on a piece of exposed rock.