The Purple Pier.

 Every winter we have a small colony of Purple Sandpipers that spend the season on the pier at Newhaven. Numbers fluctuate each year, but after 2 very poor years in 2023 and 2024, numbers have increased to just about double figures again.

After many wet and windy days, a small break in the weather came so David, Paul and I decided to head over to the pier to see if we could get our annual Purple Sandpiper fix.

On arrival I could only see a single RuddyTurnstone on the pier, but as we walked along the pier we heard the chattering of the sandpipers on the lower rafters. It wasn't long before the first bird popped up onto the top of the pier, shortly followed by several more. This presented our opportunity to photograph them. The birds occasionally interacted, but mostly they rested with one beady eye checking the surroundings.

The First Purple Sandpiper 'up top'.

Purple Sandpiper with an itch.

Purple Sandpiper puffed up to keep warm.

The 'beady eye'.

One of the Ruddy Turnstones.

Eventually ten Purple Sandpipers were in view along with four Ruddy Turnstones.