2008: Behaviour: Birds - Highly Commended
Arthur Morris (USA)
Sandpiper congregation
'I was told I'd missed the peak of the migration by a week, in the Alaskan fishing town of Cordova, and that only a few birds were left. With low expectations, I went down to the beach. And there in full view was a snoozing congregation of 6,000 or so western sandpipers snuggled together, their subtle colours enhanced by the flat light of an overcast sky.' Western sandpipers breed on the tundra in Siberia and Alaska, then migrate south to the coasts of North and South America. It's one of the most abundant sea birds in America and during migration tens of thousands of birds will flock together. They keep up their energy on a diet of mainly small crabs, shrimp, marine snails and worms.
Canon EOS-1D Mark II + Canon EF500mm f4 IS USM lens; 1/60 sec at f22 (+1/3 compensation); ISO 400; Gitzo 1325 CF tripod + Wimberley head.
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