Sandpipers at Rest
Camo
Nature really is quite amazing if you look closely.
I was walking along the beach and spotted some sandpipers flying along in front of me. Good thing I saw them land, because once on the ground, it’s pretty hard to find them! The image this week is of a flock of 42 (yes, I counted) sandpipers in the picture, and more along the beach and rocks, fattening up on the things they find in the sand.
The camouflage is necessary, because the large flocks draw the attention of predators, like falcons. As hunters know, birds have very good colour vision, so camo is needed to hide from birds, and these sandpipers certainly have the perfect pattern for their terrain.
As I walked along watching the flock feed and then fly to the rocks and rest, I took some images and then slipped quietly back behind the dunes, as I wouldn’t want to add any stress to their activity. They are fueling up for the long flight to South America, and with storms coming, they’ll need all the rest and food they can get.
Quite amazing.
