Five years ago today I was laying in the warm wet sands of Fort De Soto County Park’s north beach as the salty water from the Gulf of Mexico soaked my skin while photographing a Ruddy Turnstone doing what they do best, turning things. The Ruddy Turnstone was turning this Calico Shell over to get at the bits of the creature that was still inside the shell. I was able to get a nice series of about 10 images before some beach walkers walked directly between the turnstone and me. Surely they had to wonder why a woman would be laying in the sand with a camera shoved against her face? I guess not because they continued on their way and the turnstone went the other.
Nonbreeding Laughing Gull with a Calico Shell
As soon as the beach walkers and the turnstone left this Laughing Gull walked over and took the rest of the meat from inside the shell though unlike the Ruddy Turnstone it did not turn it over once.
Ruddy Turnstone in early morning light – Nikon D200, handheld, f9, 1/500, ISO 320, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
I photographed this Ruddy Turnstone at Fort De Soto County Park in Florida several years ago as it stood on the sandy beach in early morning light. I like how the sunlight created a subtle warm glow to the shorebird’s plumage and the great catch light. This image was taken in November when the Turnstones were in nonbreeding plumage.
Ruddy Turnstone – Nikon D200, handheld, f5.6, 1/640, ISO 500, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
In Florida it wasn’t often that I would see Ruddy Turnstones perched on anything other than the sand so I was tickled one morning when I came across this Turnstone in nonbreeding plumage perched on a piece of weathered driftwood just after the sun came over the horizon with the waters of the Gulf of Mexico behind it.
Ruddy Turnstones breed in the high Arctic and winter along the shore lines of the Gulf of Mexico, Pacific and Atlantic coastlines, the Caribbean and as far south as South America.
Ruddy Turnstone in nonbreeding plumage – Nikon D200, handheld, f8, 1/500, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 310mm, natural light
This is an image of a Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) in nonbreeding plumage that was taken at Fort De Soto’s north beach in Florida during the month of March a few years ago. The edges of the scapulars and coverts show wear, the face and back are brownish.
Male Ruddy Turnstone in breeding plumage – Nikon D200, handheld, f9, 1/500, ISO 160, Nikkor 70-300mm VR at 240mm, natural light
The image above shows a male Ruddy Turnstone in breeding plumage, this photo was also taken at Fort De Soto’s north beach in the month of May a few years ago. Breeding males are brighter and more colorful than breeding females. The males are striking with their black, white and ruddy calico pattern.
During migration some Ruddy Turnstones do stop over in Utah but I haven’t been able to approach them close enough to get quality images.
This Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) image was created several years ago at Fort De Soto County Park’s north beach in central Florida.
Bathing Ruddy Turnstone – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 160, Nikkor 70-300mm VR at 300mm, natural light
I had been photographing a Red-breasted Merganser on the shoreline while sitting very low in the water of a tidal lagoon when I heard splashing sounds and saw this Turnstone in breeding plumage bathing. Since I had been sitting very still in the lagoon to photograph the Merganser the Ruddy Turnstone didn’t feel alarmed by my presence and felt comfortable enough to bathe about 20 feet from me. I just have to love those flying droplets of water.
Ruddy Turnstone with a Calico shell
Nonbreeding Laughing Gull with a Calico Shell
