Good news, had an appointment with my doctor today and the elbow is healing well. I was getting concerned as my range progress had stalled a bit and was worried the arm wasn’t going to achieve the mobility I wanted/needed. Doc is still confident on nearly full range once they get the rest of the swelling released and break apart the scar tissue. I predict some fun therapy sessions in the near future. The best news is they released me to start strength training in my sessions and ….wait for it … wait for it .. I can “start” running again. This brought an internal chuckle from me and a stern disapproving look from Linda. Thankfully she didn’t reveal I’ve been running for weeks hehehe. Going to let Brad take the helm today while I get ready for a celebratory, and now, guilt free training run. Just hoping I can get back to the running efficiency of his featured subjects!
Take it away Brad…
No one ever said bird photography would be easy. The Intrigued corporate employee handbook doesn’t mention it either. Yes, much of the time my subjects are sitting still, nicely perched on a branch or twig out in the open. A few are sitting on the ground as pretty as you please. Sometimes they are flying gracefully through the air on a predictable line so I can follow them easily. But more often than not, they are behind twigs so the camera can’t get an easy focus lock. Or flitting between branches. Or hiding in tall grass.
Not this time. This past February, Jan and I were taking a morning walk along Sunset Beach, adjacent to Bird Island, in North Carolina. The sky was overcast and the wind was blowing at a constant 15-20MPH straight along the coast from the South. With waves crashing ashore, and sand blowing in our faces (yes, I had a filter on the front of both camera lenses) we were lucky to find a rather spastic set of little birds. They are constantly chasing the surf line, running up and down with the waves in what should be a predictable pattern. In fact, “chasing the surf” is the precise behavior listed in the bird books to aid with identification. If you’ve ever seen a certain Pixar animated movie short, you will understand . . . it rhymes with “hyper”.
Hit the jump to read more about these spastic little birds!
Sanderling (Calidris alba) legs are almost a blur when they run to or from the surf. I really had to crank up the shutter speed to be able to freeze their motion. Unfortunately, it was a cloudy day and backlit, and I had to go stratospheric on the ISO to get the higher shutter speeds I wanted. I’m still not a fan of high four-digit ISO values, so I tried to strike a balance.
If it looks like these little birds are always running, it’s because they are. This group of sanderlings must practice together because in most of the photos we took, their legs seemed to be synchronized. I know sanderlings are capable of flight, but on this very windy day, all they did was run to and fro.
Sanderlings’ primary food source are the small crabs, and other critters, that reveal themselves (accidentally or not) as the surf retreats. Wait too many seconds and the crabs have burrowed back into the quickly hardening sand. That’s why sanderlings chase the surf out and run just ahead of it on the way back up the beach. They will also eat anything else stranded when the surf retreats: worms, small mollusks, and even horseshoe crab eggs. Luckily, tourists with cameras are not on their menu.
Sometimes the scale and size of featured birds gets a little lost in the zooming and cropping process. Luckily, this sanderling was near a ring-billed gull for size comparison. I’m not even sure the sanderling measures up to the gull’s ankle (the part that looks like a backward knee). In other words, sanderlings are less than 8“ long, half that tall, and usually weigh less than four ounces.
Earlier, I mentioned a certain Pixar animated short containing sandpipers. Sanderlings are a bit larger than sandpipers with a clean white breast, dark legs, and very brown feathers everywhere else. Sandpipers have a dusty breast, yellow legs, and greyish-brown feathers. Both have similar shoreline behavior, and if they aren’t holding still, it may be difficult to tell them apart. All of the sanderlings we saw were in their non-breeding plumage: light grey and white below.
Sanderlings nest in the arctic, usually right on the ground, in the open, next to fresh water. They are mostly monogamous, but females have been known to mate with multiple males during a breeding season. A sanderling pair will raise 3-4 dull green or olive-brown eggs at a time. After 23-27 days, the new sanderlings look like miniature adults with dark legs and bills. If confronted by a predator while nesting, the adults will sit motionless until the last possible second when they feign injury and fake limp away from the nest, drawing the predator after them. What great parents!
Once we were tuned into seeing sanderlings, we spotted them all up and down the beach. They didn’t seem to be aware, or the least wary, of us. When we tried to get closer for better photos, I don’t think we phased them one bit. They simply kept up their surf-chasing routine. I’m pretty sure they knew they could outrun us if tested. Even dogs on the beach didn’t seem to bother them, or vice versa. The gulls along the beach had a much more obvious reaction to dogs and people than the sanderlings did. Regardless of what the sky and wind were doing above them, these little sanderlings continued their metronome-like chasing and retreating process all the way down the beach.
“Hey, I think I saw something yummy down there. Follow me!”
It’s time to go clean the filters and see how much sand got into places I didn’t want it to get into.
Thank you for reading. If you want to see more bird photos from our South Carolina winter escape, please visit here.
Credits:
Thanks again to Jan and Allyson for proofreading and editing. Thanks to Jan for some of the photos in this article.
Wildlife Intrigued 
Brian, run for me…
Brad! In my state, huh? I haven’t been to my coast since 2016. Sandpipers are fun to watch. The Sanderings, we call them “Ploughmans.” They can be just as annoying as gulls.
Great shots. You still in NC?
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Thank you. No, we have since returned home to IL. These just happened to be cute that day.
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I’mma running for ya. Clocked in 15 miles on the trail and another 5 on the road today so things are coming along nicely. Although, I clipped a root again and almost fell..again, but managed to save it – that goosed me a bit.
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Great news, Brian. JUst don’t get cocky as you train. Let things flow in their own time.
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Although birds aren’t my “thing” I enjoyed the story of your time with the Sanderlings, Brad. Nice shots showing their fun with the surf. I especially enjoyed the group shots and how they almost looked choreographed.
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That is exactly what it looked like Steve. The Sanderlings seemed to be moving in lockstep. I didn’t catch it at the time, but when I was reviewing photos in the digital darkroom I could see them nearly in step with each other chasing and retreating from the surf. The gulls just stood there and watched them.
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Trying not to get too far ahead of myself, but I do have a big race that is approaching fast. Luckily my voice of reason (Linda) is at least making sure don’t do anything too stupid. Doc cleared me this week to now start incorporating some weight into my therapy sessions so I can start slowly building back the strength I lost from being stagnant. Thanks for dropping in Steve!
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Love the birds playing in the surf. Good to hear the doc things you are coming off the long and winding road to recovery. Maybe you can get going on you all hallows trail and basic training again soon.
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Thanks Tim. No cool skies to photograph that day though, unless you liked grey on grey with a dash of grey.
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Ocasional GoGwDoG skies are ok.
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Coincidentally, they were about 18% grey that day.
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Perfect exposure.
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The prop building efforts are back in full swing now (per my email), but I do need to get out and start clearing and cleaning up the trail – I swear, let vegetation in a forest go unchecked for just a month and it turns into the Rain Forest. Training is nearly back on track – got 15 miles on the trail in the morning and another 5 on the road after dark tonight – a good day!!!
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Way to go.
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Thank you for the lesson on Sanderlings. I knew nothing about them until now. The photos are fabulous!
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Thank you. It was hard to look through the viewfinder while I was smiling so much. They are such cute little birds. Always busy, busy, busy.
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I am glad to hear that your recovery is going well, Brian.
I have never seen in real life sanderlings but we have sandpipers where I live. The photos of these birds are amazing. I also learned something interesting about these wonderful birds.
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Glad I could bring a smile Kaya. I’m hoping to catch ‘pipers too someday. I know Brian talks about a famous pair of plovers near Chicago I’ll try to catch someday.
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Unfortunately one of the famous Plovers is missing (Rose) and the other (Monty) passed away. Good news though, one of their offspring Imani has shown up there now so if he can just persuade a mate to move in we should be able to enjoy them once again.
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Thank you Kaya – I am definitely getting up the recovery hill and as long as Linda keeps holding me back from doing something stupid I think I’ll be ready for the October race … fingers crossed. Appreciate you dropping in.
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Brad, next time when watching Sanderlings look for the ‘foot tap’ trick. Sometimes after the short run they stop, stand still, then tap their foot on the sand. The tap is to get sand worms just under the surface to move. Only takes a second, up you’ll see the worms too. Very funny, and smart. If every back at Huntington just south maybe 3 miles is Litchfield beach. Tons of Sanderlings and Brown Pelican.
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Thanks for the tip Ted. And for the referral for a new birding location for an upcoming February. I may have photos of the foot tap and didn’t even know what it was; I’ll have to go look.
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If you do come back to SC in Feb reach out. Huntington is just the start 😁😁
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Deal! Looking to go up or down the coast a bit next time to explore more of the area.
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Just reach out 👍
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I like the foot tap trick, that is new one for me – will definitely look for that the next time we are on the Gulf Shores!
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Glad you caught that almost-synchronized look of their feet as they run to and fro chasing the water’s edge. It’s interesting (one might almost say intriguing) how the similarities in size and anatomy result in motions that look synchronized – I’m thinking of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, for example, or White Ibis, or Snow Geese. I haven’t run across any writings yet that indicate such synchronized behavior is intentional.
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I see what you did there: intriguing for Wildlife Intrigued. Their synchronization may only be an illusion to humans because we like to find order and patterns in things. But when the surf changed, they would all turn nearly simultaneously and start running back up the beach. Probably a learned behavior mimicking their parents. Who knows. I still had a great time watching them, smiling, and getting sand in my teeth. (well maybe not so much that last part). Thanks for stopping by Sam.
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I see what you did there: intriguing for Wildlife Intrigued. Their synchronization may only be an illusion to humans because we like to find order and patterns in things. But when the surf changed, they would all turn nearly simultaneously and start running back up the beach. Probably a learned behavior mimicking their parents. Who knows. I still had a great time watching them, smiling, and getting sand in my teeth. (well maybe not so much that last part). Thanks for stopping by Sam.
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Beautiful post, Brad and company. Congratulations on your excellent recovery, Brian! A lovely weekend to all! ❤
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Thank you very much Cheryl. These had to be some of the quickest moving small birds I’ve photographed. Other than spastic LBJ’s flitting around the woods.
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Thank you Cheryl, the body is responding well to the new bionics, so it looks like it is just a matter of time before I’m back chopping wood!
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Your photos are great, Brad, especially in light of the blowing wind and perpetually-in-motion sanderlings. I think shorebirds are mesmerizing–I could watch them for hours and never grow tired.
And the news about your healing is encouraging. Have fun running, but maybe try to run gently, if you can.
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Tanja, I appreciate your kind words. I agree, I could have watched them for hours if it weren’t for the exfoliation we were getting. Luckily the cameras came out better than we did, no sand in places it wasn’t supposed to be. And I’m not sure the word “gently” applies to running is in Brian’s vocabulary.
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Not only did you get some wonderful photos, Brad, you also received a free dermabrasion. But I’m glad your camera was fine.
And even though I have only “known” Brian for a short while, in a WP kind of sense, I didn’t think he would heed my advice. 🙂
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I think you are correct Tanja. I’m not sure he even listens to Linda when it comes to running.
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Hey now, I ALWAYS listen to Linda…now whether I act upon that advice may be an entirely different story – Inner Bri can be a tough nut to get through hehehehe.
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I forget, hearing and listening are two different things. And listening and following sage advice are also two different things.
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Like being in a meeting with our AP facilities – their “Yes” just means they heard you, that has NOTHING to do if they understand or agree to what you just told them…as I am sure you experienced as well. As far as following sage advice..well, some of us are easily distra..SQUIRREL!
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That’s precisely how trees jump in front of you. And yes, I’ve heard the “Yes” many times. And sometimes through an interpreter. Something gets lost in translation.
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You get me Tanja ha!
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Who knew? A floor show at the beach. Nice images.
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Thanks Jerry. I felt fortunate to be able to see them. Gulls were all over. But this one little band of Sanderlings was all we saw during our miles long walk on the beach.
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This post along with the wonderful series of great photographs triggered my “dizzy” reflex. Trying to keep up with Sanderlings through a viewfinder who seem paranoid about getting their feet wet is a challenge.
You also triggered my “gotta get back to the beach” reflex. Way to go.
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Sorry about that Wally, it was not my intent. But I can certainly see how that would happen focusing (no pun intended) through a viewfinder and moving all the time. Best not read my Foggy Hike post then; it may be vertigo inducing. Glad to at least get the “beach” vibe going again. Pick a sunnier day than we did.
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They are cute little sand birds for sure and a delight to watch. I didn’t know they nest in the arctic. I wonder how much of their nesting areas are affected by the permafrost melts? I am sure there is a research project somewhere busy on that…
Great job Brad! BTW check that handbook on what physical issues and hazards there are while birding. Very small print…😂🤣
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Thank you CJ. Very pleased that you liked the Sanderlings. Really, you can’t help but smile when you see them in action. Someone has surely studied Sanderling nesting habitat impacts. I’m also pretty sure the Intrigued Employee handbook fine print includes something like “and any other circumstances we can dream up, blah blah blah”.
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You didn’t think our laywers thought of everything!?!, they’ve had to deal with me for well over a decade now.
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Nice shots, Brad! I especially liked the first one. The Pixar film definitely captured their cuteness. 🙂
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Thank you Siobhan. That Pixar movie short was the first thing I though of when I saw them running towards and then quickly away from the waves. Thanks for stopping by.
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