2022-0211 A Day On The Beach

Frontal view of territorial posture of Sanderling

Fancy footwork to resist efforts by other Sanderling to steal its prey

When a captured Emerita is too big to swallow immediately, that often sets in motion frenzied efforts by other Sanderling to steal it. If Ring-billed Gulls are nearby they will chase too, leading the Sanderling to take flight. Once that happens the gull almost always gets the Emerita in the end, when the Sanderling drops it.

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SanderlingEmerita analogaLimantour Spit