Took a little stroll on the beach this afternoon after noticing the large number of shore birds scurrying along the water's edge. As I surveyed the birds present, it soon becamer apparent it was more of the same....but very different! Spring has sprung and we are now seeing some remarkable changes in the three species most commonly found in front of our condo.....Willets, Sanderlings, and Ruddy turnstones. Let's start with the Willets. For one thing these willets are quite a bit smaller,,,,I mean noticeably smaller....than the Willets that were here last month. The reason is plain and simple. These are NOT the same Willets that spent the winter with us. During the winter months, our Willets are the western population which have migrated over to pay us a visit. The western species is bigger and is a duller color than the eastern variety which have returned to take the place of the departing western birds. And so, the first of our "same" threesome is not the same after all.
Second on the list are the Sanderlings. Well, these are in fact for the most part the same birds we've had all winter. But as spring has arrived, these little sandpipers are getting "suited up" for the breeding season. During the winter, they were almost the color of the sand. They were very easy to distinguish from other small shore birds because their light hues set them apart. Now, however, they are developing their new bright rusty mantle of feathers. Same bird, but with a very different look.
Finally, the prize for best dressed goes to the turnstones. They like the sanderlings have been here all year, but they have begun to really get spruced up as the black feathers around the face and back are replacing what had been quite dull and mundane. Now these birds are striking. Just check out the image of the breeding plumaged birds we saw yesterday here in Florida and you'll see why they come away with
best in show honors.
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