A messenger from the sands
There’s a Ruddy Turnstone in Knott End-on-Sea. Beautiful, aren’t they? Ruddy Turnstones breed in the far Arctic and along the Canadian coast yet spend the rest of their time in coastal locations across the world, on almost every beach available. You can see Ruddy Turnstones on every rocky shore in Africa, the Middle East, India, South-East Asia, Australia, South and North America, the Atlantic coast of Europe and the UK. Widespread seems too inadequate a word for their global reach.
The Ruddy Turnstone’s scientific name is Arenaria interpres. The genus name arenaria is from the Latin arenarius, which means ‘inhabiting sand’, from arena, which means ‘sand’. (An arena – it’s a flat area of sand.) The specific name interpres means ‘messenger’, related to the word interpreter.
Ruddy Turnstones are messengers from the sands.
More Ruddy Turnstones
Ruddy Turnstone on barnacles It's always a pleasure to see a Ruddy Turnstone. They're usually so busy turning stones that I had to take… read more
The Sand Messengers return It's a joy to see the Ruddy Turnstones have returned from their brief trip to the most northerly coasts on… read more
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Ruddy Turnstone portraits After the shock of getting so close to Ruddy Turnstones I decided to try some portrait photography. Here's my first… read more
Ruddy Turnstones at Brixham breakwater #3 I've been enjoying filming the Ruddy Turnstones in Brixham. I hope these tiny films have given you some insight into… read more
Ruddy Turnstones at Brixham breakwater #2 I never expected to get quite so close to Ruddy Turnstones in Brixham. I certainly never expected them to act… read more