Hi birders, AB @atlanticbirding.bsky.social has said today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #50ShadesOfGrey; birds with grey plumage Alt. is #Fledglings; any newly fledged bird Black-tailed Godwit

A Black-tailed Godwit stands in shallow blue water, its long, straight, slightly upturned pink-and-black bill pointing to the left. Its warm brown, intricately patterned plumage contrasts with its pale belly, while its long dark legs create gentle ripples around its feet. The calm water provides a striking, almost mirror-like reflection of the bird, stretching down beneath it and adding a lovely sense of symmetry to the photograph. Interesting facts: Black-tailed Godwits are remarkable long-distance migrants, with some travelling thousands of kilometres between their breeding and wintering grounds. Their exceptionally long bills are perfectly adapted for probing deep into mud and soft ground for worms, insects and other invertebrates. They also have a distinctive black-and-white tail pattern, which gives them their name. In the UK and Ireland, they are particularly associated with wetlands, estuaries and coastal mudflats.