Latin name
Arenaria interpres
Family
Sandpipers and allies (Scolopacidae)
Description:
Smaller than a redshank, turnstones have a mottled appearance with brown or chestnut and black upperparts and brown and white or black and white head pattern, whilst their underparts are white and legs orange. They spend most of their time creeping and fluttering over rocks, picking out food from under stones. They can be quite difficult to photograph as they generally doen't stay still for very long, usually on the look-out for food.
Where to see them:
All around the UK coastline. Likes rocky shores as well as sandy and muddy ones. Particularly likes feeding on rocks covered with seaweed, and will feed along seawalls and jetties.
When to see them:
They are present for most of the year. Birds from Northern Europe pass through in July and August and again spring. Canadian and Greenland birds arrive in August and September and remain until April and May. Non-breeding birds may stay through the summer.
What they eat
Insects, crustaceans and molluscs.
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| Turnstone West Sussex Coast October 2010 Nikion D300S f4, 1/1250th sec, ISO 320 |
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