The Little Sanderling that Could

 

As a flock of Purple Sandpipers flew by a flash of white glinted from the center of the group.

A Sanderling among the Purple Sandpipers

When they landed along the nearby tideline it became apparent that the Purple Sandpipers had been joined by a Sanderling. How could it have synchronized so readily with their flight and foraging patterns?

Clusters of Sanderlings have appeared in past years along the Halibut Point's winter shoreline, although I haven't seen any this season. The adoptee stood in bright contrast to its dusky hosts.

Wherever the birds flew or scrambled the Sanderling found its place near the center of the flock. Its integration raised all sorts of questions in my mind about the fluid boundaries of species in the natural world.