Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)

Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)

The Purple Sandpiper is a winter visitor from NE Canada, Greenland, Scandinavia, Russia & Siberia - most occur between September & April.

It shares the same kind of habitat as Turnstone - rocky shorelines, headlands, islands and harbours - sometimes on sandy shores where rotting seaweed is piled up. Roughly same size and shape as Dunlin. Its non-descript, dull, slate grey plumage with dark streaks make it surprisingly difficult to see against seaweed covered rocks. Legs are yellowish orange, bill is fine and slightly downcurved, yellowish at the base with a dark tip. In flight, wings and upperparts a uniform dark grey, with just a thin white wingbar. Feeds mouselike right where waves break on seaweed-covered rocks and is easily missed - often first making itself visible by a quick flutter to avoid a crashing wave. Not common - usually in small flocks of about ten birds and often associates with Turnstones.

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