Knots landing at the Peedie Sea

I’m wandering the shore at Kirkwall Harbour for an hour before the ferry takes me to Westray.

I’m loving the complex singing of this rainbow Starling:

Birds at the Peedie Sea - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)


It’s a great way to welcome the new day.

Birds at the Peedie Sea - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)


On the Peedie Sea in Kirkwall there’s a sleepy Redshank. They are the classic alarm-call bird. They normally see you before you see them, fly off with an insistent alarm call and cause everything else to flee in their wake.

Birds at the Peedie Sea - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)


Maybe it’s feeling a little sleepy this Sunday morning, because it’s allowing me to get unnaturally close.

There it goes:

Birds at the Peedie Sea - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)


They are finely poised birds:

Birds at the Peedie Sea - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)
Birds at the Peedie Sea - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)


Just look at those elegant long back toes:

Birds at the Peedie Sea - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)


There are other waders here. I’m notoriously bad at identifying them. These have beautiful plumage.

Birds at the Peedie Sea - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)


I’m told they are Red Knot. There’s one followed by a Dunlin.

Birds at the Peedie Sea - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)


Then a Knot comes in to land:

Birds at the Peedie Sea - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)


It’s amusing to see that it starts running before it hits the water:

Birds at the Peedie Sea - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)
Birds at the Peedie Sea - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)


It’s time for me to catch the ferry to Westray now. It’s been an entertaining hour.

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