It has a slow flight, with its neck retracted. This is characteristic of herons and bitterns, and distinguishes them from storks, cranes, ibises, and spoonbills, which extend their necks in flight. The great egret walks with its neck extended and wings held close.
Ruddy Turnstone
Ruddy Turnstone
The ruddy turnstone has a varied diet including carrion, eggs and plant material but it feeds mainly on invertebrates. Insects are particularly important in the breeding season. At other times it also takes crustaceans, molluscs and worms. It often flips over stones and other objects to get at prey items hiding underneath; this behaviour is the origin of the name “turnstone”. It usually forages in flocks.
Both captures are fabulous, HJ! I’ve watched Ruddy Turnstones do the stone flipping. 🙂
Thank you very much, Donna. 🙂
Lovely images (as always), and I am especially jealous of that turnstone picture!
Thanks so much, D. 🙂
You taught me a couple of things that I did not know: the retracted neck of some species of birds and the reason for the Turnstone’s name. Thank-you.
Thank you, Jane. 🙂
Another set of birds with contrasting featurs!
Thanks a lot, Indira. 🙂