Purple Sandpiper
Calidris maritima
A chunky little sandpiper with short yellow-orange legs and a slightly downcurved bill, often giving a “squatting” appearance. Unlike most waders, it favors wave-battered rocky shores; in winter plumage it is dark grey and mottled, blending perfectly with wet rocks and seaweed.
- Habitat: Wave-washed rocky coastlines, including tidal rock pools and jetties
- When to See: Scarce winter visitor (small numbers on the coast) and occasional migrant
- Diet / Food: Mostly molluscs (shellfish such as periwinkles and mussels) plucked from rocks, plus insects, crustaceans and other small shore invertebrates
- Length: 20–22 cm