Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres
We find Ruddy Turnstones on the shores of every continent except Antarctica. They breed on lands bordering the north pole, and spend their winters further south, some as far as Argentina, South Africa, southern Australia and New Zealand.
Turnstones use their short upturned beaks to flip rocks and debris in search of food items. The Ruddy Turnstone breeds a little further north and winters further south than its cousin the Black Turnstone, which we only find on the west coast in winter.
Turnstones have specialized feet with spiky pads and curved toenails that permit them to walk over wet, slippery surfaces and forage where other creatures would falter. This helps them navigate hazardous areas where other birds would struggle.
Despite their wide range, science only recognises two subspecies of Ruddy Turnstone:
- A. i. interpres breeds from Arctic Canada northeastern Greenland, and across arctic Eurasia to northwestern Alaska. They spend winters from southwestern Europe south to southern Africa, India, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand.
- A. i. morinella breeds from northeastern Alaska east through the southern islands of the Canadian Arctic, such as Queen Elizabeth Island, south to Baffin, and other regional islands. There is a local breeding population in western Greenland that science believes is of this subspecies. They spend winters mainly from the southern USA along the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf coasts, on islands of the Caribbean, West Indies, and along both coasts of South America south to Tierra del Fuego.
I enjoy meeting these birds wherever I find them. In southern California, we are blessed with the company of both the Black and Ruddy Turnstones. They are the only members of the turnstone clan (Genus: Arenaria) in the world. When I visited Texas in 2020 and 2021, I learned only these Ruddy Turnstones dance on their shores.
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: Spring migration at the Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:04 10:07 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X3548-RuddyTurnStone |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: Spring migration at the Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:04 10:09 |
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Location:
Border Field |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X3561-RuddyTurnStone |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: (Arenaria interpres) Foraging on the rocky shores at Sunset Cliffs, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA 2008-09-22. |
Date Taken: 2008:09:22 10:57 |
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Location:
Sunset Cliffs |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: jcd1565RuddyTurnStone |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: (Arenaria interpres) Foraging on the rocky shores at Sunset Cliffs, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA 2008-09-22. |
Date Taken: 2008:09:22 10:58 |
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Location:
Sunset Cliffs |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: jcd1572RuddyTurnStone |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: (Arenaria interpres) Foraging on the rocky shores at Sunset Cliffs, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA 2008-09-22. |
Date Taken: 2008:09:22 10:59 |
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Location:
Sunset Cliffs |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: jcd1586RuddyTurnStone |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: (Arenaria interpres) Foraging on the rocky shores at Sunset Cliffs, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA 2008-09-22. |
Date Taken: 2008:09:22 11:03 |
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Location:
Sunset Cliffs |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 |
File Name: jcd1610RuddyTurnStone |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: (Arenaria interpres) Foraging around the kelp washed ashore on the beach near the Tijuana River Mouth. Extreme South West San Diego County, California USA 2008-09-22. |
Date Taken: 2009:04:24 10:05 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: JCD6500.RuddyTurnStone |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadetree-imaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: (Arenaria interpres) Foraging around the kelp washed ashore on the beach near the Tijuana River Mouth. Extreme South West San Diego County, California USA 2008-09-22. |
Date Taken: 2009:04:24 11:08 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: JCD6643.RuddyTurnStone |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadetree-imaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: Loafing and waiting for the return of low tide at the Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR USA 2003-07-26. |
Date Taken: 2003:07:26 16:39 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED, |
File Name: A3G26b07-RuddyTurnStone |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: (Arenaria interpres) We found this bird on our first afternoon on Isla Socorro. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico 2017-02-15. This bird may have been injured and incapable of flight. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:15 16:13 |
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Location:
Marine Base |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_D5X7938 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: Even before our launch these Ruddy Turnstones entertained me as I watched them foraging along the dock. My third day of exploration of Aransas NWR was a memorable one. I boarded the tour boat the "Skimmer" and got schooled by Captain Tommy Moore on a three plus hour cruise of the back-bays and waterways beyond the view of the public from the tour roads on the reserve. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 8:38 |
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Location:
Fulton Harbor |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_D503266-BoatRide-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: Turnstones seemed comforatable in my presence and freely foraged in close proximity to me. I met these birds after my third day of exploration of Aransas NWR aboard the "Skimmer". There was still time left in the day for explorations. I found a nice place to park next to Little Bay and photograph local resident birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 16:58 |
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Location:
Little Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_D504753-Rockport-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
|
Description: Turnstones seemed comforatable in my presence and freely foraged in close proximity to me. I met these birds after my third day of exploration of Aransas NWR aboard the "Skimmer". There was still time left in the day for explorations. I found a nice place to park next to Little Bay and photograph local resident birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 17:01 |
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Location:
Little Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_D504760-Rockport-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
|
Description: Turnstones seemed comforatable in my presence and freely foraged in close proximity to me. I met these birds after my third day of exploration of Aransas NWR aboard the "Skimmer". There was still time left in the day for explorations. I found a nice place to park next to Little Bay and photograph local resident birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 17:01 |
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Location:
Little Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_D504783-Rockport-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
|
Description: Turnstones seemed comforatable in my presence and freely foraged in close proximity to me. I met these birds after my third day of exploration of Aransas NWR aboard the "Skimmer". There was still time left in the day for explorations. I found a nice place to park next to Little Bay and photograph local resident birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 17:20 |
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Location:
Little Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_D504986-Rockport-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
|
Description: Turnstones seemed comforatable in my presence and freely foraged in close proximity to me. I met these birds after my third day of exploration of Aransas NWR aboard the "Skimmer". There was still time left in the day for explorations. I found a nice place to park next to Little Bay and photograph local resident birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 17:26 |
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Location:
Little Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_D505068-Rockport-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: Because I didn’t feel I could cross over the soft beach from the paved road onto the hard-packed sand in my van, the only birds I met at the beach were Sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones. The sandy shores of Boca Chica Beach is nearly the southernmost point of the USA. Southern Florida is only 57 miles closer to the equator. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:04 8:09 |
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Location:
Boca Chica Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_D503391-BocaChica-Beach |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
|
Description: Because I didn’t feel I could cross over the soft beach from the paved road onto the hard-packed sand in my van, the only birds I met at the beach were Sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones. The sandy shores of Boca Chica Beach is nearly the southernmost point of the USA. Southern Florida is only 57 miles closer to the equator. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:04 8:09 |
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Location:
Boca Chica Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_D503417-BocaChica-Beach |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
|
Description: Because I didn’t feel I could cross over the soft beach from the paved road onto the hard-packed sand in my van, the only birds I met at the beach were Sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones. The sandy shores of Boca Chica Beach is nearly the southernmost point of the USA. Southern Florida is only 57 miles closer to the equator. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:04 8:09 |
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Location:
Boca Chica Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_D503418-BocaChica-Beach |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
|
Description: Because I didn’t feel I could cross over the soft beach from the paved road onto the hard-packed sand in my van, the only birds I met at the beach were Sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones. The sandy shores of Boca Chica Beach is nearly the southernmost point of the USA. Southern Florida is only 57 miles closer to the equator. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:04 8:09 |
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Location:
Boca Chica Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_D503424-BocaChica-Beach |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: This bird found a tiny invertebrate morsel to eat. I found Ruddy Turnstones and Sanderlings working the shores along the entire length of the beach at Boca Chica. I loaded my gear on my bike and rode out on Boca Chica Beach to the mouth of the Rio Grande, where the fresh water meets the Gulf of Mexico. Here the chances to meet and observe the dynamic interaction of species are high. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:27 10:13 |
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Location:
Boca Chica Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_D5X6845-BocaChicaBeach |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
|
Description: I found Ruddy Turnstones and Sanderlings working the shores along the entire length of the beach at Boca Chica. I loaded my gear on my bike and rode out on Boca Chica Beach to the mouth of the Rio Grande, where the fresh water meets the Gulf of Mexico. Here the chances to meet and observe the dynamic interaction of species are high. |
Date Taken: 2021:03:27 10:13 |
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Location:
Boca Chica Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_D5X6861-BocaChicaBeach |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
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Description: There are but two turnstone species this day (Ruddy and Black). I met both while I carried my camera. Waterfowl and shorebirds were the objects of my affection during the half-day I spent exploring Bodega Bay. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:06 12:02 |
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Location:
Bodega Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_8503696-BodegaBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
|
Description: There are but two turnstone species this day (Ruddy and Black). I met both while I carried my camera. Waterfowl and shorebirds were the objects of my affection during the half-day I spent exploring Bodega Bay. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:06 12:02 |
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Location:
Bodega Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_8503710-BodegaBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres) |
|
Description: There are but two turnstone species this day (Ruddy and Black). I met both while I carried my camera. Waterfowl and shorebirds were the objects of my affection during the half-day I spent exploring Bodega Bay. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:06 12:03 |
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Location:
Bodega Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RuddyTurnstone_8503716-BodegaBay |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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