A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea takes a rest on a small tidal lagoon near my home in Dorset. During a rapid migration from their breeding grounds in Arctic Siberia these birds are able to deposit fat quickly allowing them to make long continuous flights with few 'stop overs' before arriving in Africa or Southern Asia where they spend the winter.

I spent three enjoyable hours photographing these birds; Kneeing in the water and moving slowly they quickly became accustomed to my presence, allowing photography of feeding, bathing and in this case preening down to a few feet.

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