Purple Sandpiper and its connection with Polar Bears

www.grahamcatley.com/blog-1/a-rather-special-purple-sandpiper 

first-winter Purple Sandpiper

 Having walked a fair way from Mablethorpe North End to the outfall I was not hopeful of seeing this bird as the steps were being regularly disturbed by dogs and their owners but as I walked around the far side it appeared in the tide wrack on the beach being displaced to the adjacent concrete groin by a dog walker at one stage but it was soon back and catching plenty of prey in the wrack including some small crabs - it was only when I had finished photographing that I realised I had taken all the images on 2000 ISO but with the R6 it really doesn't matter 

Purple Sandpipers

Purple Sandpipers

Purple Sandpipers

hardy birds feeding amongst the frozen seaweed;

Purple Sandpipers

as all the Purple Sands were on the shore and at the bottom of steep snow covered banks I did not risk going down to them as the back was niggling -- hence no good images just a few records

Purple Sandpipers

hardy birds -- several hundred seen daily along the Varanger shoreline

Purple Sandpipers

a large flock on outer Vardo harbour and close up birds in summer dress