By Sally Siko

Bird photography can be a challenge which is why I was so happy to get a couple decent shots of this Whimbrel while leading a birding tour near Ft.Fisher last month.
The group and I stood on the rocks and watched him moving on the ground as he searched for a bite to eat in the grass.
It was particularly satisfying to catch the photo of one in flight as it flew across the water towards an unseen mate!
Whimbrels are such elegant creatures and it’s always a joy to see them hunting for a meal along the shore near the basin.

Like most shorebirds, Wimbrels are voracious eaters of invertebrates. Wading in shallow water, they’ll use their long, curved bill to probe deep in the sand and mud in search of crabs, fish, worms and mollusks.
The tip of their bill is quite sensitive and allows them to quickly locate prey unseen and buried in the mud.
Dedicated omnivores, they’ll also eat insects, seeds, berries, and leaves too when crustaceans are scarce.

Wimbrels are best found on tidal mudflats, including shallow salt or brackish water along the coast of NC. They can also be seen on oceanfront beaches, as well as fresh and brackish pools along the coast, jetties, and other places near open water.
They’ll stick around the Tarheel state until early November so you’ve still got plenty of time to go see one this year.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds