Yesterday morning, I was sitting on Flat Rock, which overlooks our pond. Out of the corner of my eye, a blur streaked across the pond surface screaming something like “peet-peet.” Before I could get up to the camera on its tripod, the blur had stopped at Big Turtle Rock at the opposite end of the pond. (For political correctness, I should tell you that Big Turtle Rock is an equal opportunity rock for small turtles; it’s just that it is three times the size of nearby Little Turtle Rock.)
I couldn’t see anything unusual that far away with my naked eyes. But, when the big lens focused on the rock, there she was: this beautiful sandpiper standing still at the end of BTR, looking back at me. (Sex assumed.)
I’m never sure of my field identifications of small and mid-sized sandpipers; but, after some research, she apparently is a juvenile Solitary Sandpiper.
She relaxed and I photographed her preening, wading, drinking, walking up and down BTR, and rocking her body to the tune of some sort of internal music.
After 45 minutes of this, my focusing eye was strained; my bad leg was aching; I had taken over 50 images (many virtually identical), and I was going to be late picking up the mail. I urgently needed her to relieve my misery and fly for what would be a stunning in-flight image of her.
But no. Remember her name? She liked being the only bird in the pond. She decided to take a nap.
I packed up the photo equipment, put it into the car, and I saw no action from that part of the pond as I drove off. I like to bitterly imagine that she snored. (Brooklin, Maine) For a few more images, click here: