What Shore Birds Eat

Ever wonder what the little sandpipers and other shorebirds eat when they are digging in the mud and sand at the waters edge?

About a year ago, I bought a microscope to advance my photography in a new direction, and the other day, I went down to the Mississippi River to replenish my microbe aquarium with some new life to look at. One of the things I found, was a bristleworm. He lives in the mud and muck near the waters edge and this is one of the main foods of these little birds.

Here's a video of this tasty morsel.

Great video Mitch.
I like being able to see the internal organs as it moves around.
Good investigative work!

Thanks Shawn. I can't get around so good these days, to follow the birds, but I can get a closer look at what some of them eat. I have always wondered what the little sandpipers were piping for, so I thought I'd take a look.

Interesting vid Mitch, great work.

Thanks for looking Joe. Always fun to see whats in Lilliput.

Very cool! So fascinating to see the things that escape our notice in the "day to day" Thanks Mitch.

Hey Eric. While he was big enough to see with the naked eye, I did not see it till I looked in the scope, and then I was shocked. I made sure to look at the slide when I put him back in the tank, and he was clearly visible.