A morning with the Waders

The salinas at san Pedro being so close to the accommodation is probably the location I visit most, the species your most like to encounter being Gulls, Waders and Terns at the right time that’s not to say that you won’t see loads of other stuff through out the year. 

The more you explore a location you will undoubtedly have favourite locations, when it come to waders I have two, one is superb for light and reflective colour, the other you can just well, get mega close. All the Wader images below were shot at either of these two locations with the exception of the images of Sanderling on the beach which I refer to in a "Walk in the Sunshine"

I’m in position in probably my favourite spot for photographing waders, but there’s not much happening, sometimes you just have to wait and see what turns up. A group of Black Tailed Godwits are in the distance, I’ve never be able to get near these. Black Winged Stilts on the other hand are more obliging, I manage shots in real good light. A Greenshank drops in on the far side of the little cove, a little near would have been better but the shots are fine. Finally the ubiquitous Little Stint can drop in front of you at any time exactly what this bird did. Time to move on.

I’m now on the far side of the salinas, at times the wind can whip up the water so there are waves breaking onto the shore of a small bay, with patience and some concealment you can get real close to waders here.

A small group of Sanderling are energetically running up and down the shoreline sometimes running back and forth into the waves. Flying up the edge of the salinas I see a Common Sandpiper and it drops in the bay front of me promptly sent packing by the Sanderling, but I manage to rattle off some shots.

Next to appear is a Redshank which I sometimes find hard to get near, the bird is in good light with some nice pink and blue colour. Then I here the call…”tyew” it’s a second Greenshank of the day. Another wader I see more than any other turns up, it’s a Ruff with so many cool variations from black to vary pale, the bird fills the camera viewer as the lens has a 1.4 extender fitted.

Another grand day in the sunshine.

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Sanderling

Little Stint

Redshank

Black Winged Stilt

Greenshank

Common Sandpiper

Ruff