[texbirds] Sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones feeding together like chickens
- From: MBB22222@xxxxxxx
- To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2012 23:18:29 -0400 (EDT)
I am sure most of us who visited shore during last several weeks (from
April) noticed unusually large amounts of Sargassum seaweed on beaches. On some
days a lot more of fresh Sargassum was washed out, on other days piles
were left to rot (oh yes, one could smell it). As I spent many days on shore
during last several weeks it was a bonanza of opportunities to make
observations that cannot be done too often. Finally I could spend many hours
observing terns and gulls preying on Sargassum fish but I do not have these
photo
ready yet. Today I want to share an incredible sighting, at least to me.
Shorebirds that usually feed in lose flocks or even alone and often fight
intruder who wants to feed too close or inside their territory acted like
chickens. When Sargassum was ‘ripe’ (mean smell very, very unfresh) large
flocks of Sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones (BTW I never saw so many RUTU
before) were feeding together practically without any conflicts, not serious
ones. Evidently there was plenty of food everywhere around as feeding groups
were moving like a wave and found plenty of food in all rotten piles but
they preferred to stay close together and feed together. Most likely they kept
disturbing prey and kept turning substrate with so many birds walking
around in small area. The sighting was unbelievable - sort of like chickens
when farmer throws grains in one spot. Here is a short video:
_http://youtu.be/Go7mO-hwbKk_ (http://youtu.be/Go7mO-hwbKk)
Mark B Bartosik
Houston, Texas
_http://www.pbase.com/mbb/from_the_field_
(http://www.pbase.com/mbb/from_the_field)
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- » [texbirds] Sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones feeding together like chickens - MBB22222
