Dunlin - Calidris alpina - biegus zmienny

Sandpipers feed mostly on small invertebrates including marine crustaceans as amphipods, isopods, small decapods, occasionally on tiny fish or fish larvae, available on a margin of beach and shallow water or in salty marshes. They also feed on insects and insect larvae. They breed and feed intensively during the spring and summer seasons in polar or temperate regions, including central and northern Baltic. When freezing temperatures appear these birds migrate to warmer regions to overwinter as their food resources are not available any longer in the breeding and feeding areas. Thus, I was really surprised when I saw two individuals belonging to the two different species: a very common in the Polish Baltic coast during migrations - dunlin and a rare purple sandpiper on a beach partly covered with snow and ice in the beginning of January. These tiny birds were hopelessly searching for any food. The birds looked to be in a good condition despite of such unfavorable weather except of an ice bracelet on the left leg in dunlin.

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