Made my first trip out to Boundary Bay in quite some time this afternoon. A few interesting birds have been spotted of late: Bar-tailed Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, American Golden Plover, Red Knot and Red-necked Phalarope. While I did not see any of these recent highlights,
… I did see the Ruff as it flew in right beside me while walking along the beach. This particular bird has been in the area for about a month now.
While Ruff will show up in this area, this bird is an escapee from a study colony at Simon Fraser University. Apparently it is an in-between sized ‘faeder’ male – a female mimic. Still an interesting bird to see and photograph.
A couple of links to SFU:
Molecular Genetics Of Alternative Reproductive Morphs In Ruffs
Ruff courtship a matter of genes
