The sandpipers are a Nordic breed. They are mostly resident in Iceland. The species breeds on rocky coasts and promontories in winter. These are hardy birds which remain through the coldest winters on rocks along the ocean front. The size of the stock is around 10.000 breeding pairs. Purple Sandpipers are among the tamest of shorebirds and can be approached closely. Their food consists of small crustaceans and mollusks such as periwinkles and other marine snails.

Dunlins – Calidris alpine

Dunlins are small wading birds found in abundance in Nordic territories. A few are resident in Iceland, while others are transient visitors. Their plumage varies with the seasons. In winter, the upper parts are greyish, while in summer they take on a redbrown hue. The stock is large and numbers around 300.000 pairs. Dunlins can be seen on sandy shores, estuaries and mud flats. Occasionally they move inland to the lowland lakes and marshy moors. They generally build their grassy nests on moorland, and four is the usual number of eggs. Insects, sandhoppers and small crustaceans feature in the diet of dunlins.