A scuttling Sandy Laverock
The Orkney name for Ringed Plover is Sandy Laverock. It’s a beautiful name for a beautiful bird.
They appear to be always in a hurry to get somewhere, walking fast in straight lines from place to place.
Charadrius hiaticula is their scientific name, but I prefer their Italian name, il corriere, which means the Courier. It describes their behaviour perfectly.