The Ruff

Today I stumbled upon a very rare bird in these parts - the Ruff - a beautiful sandpiper. She ( I think she was a she) was all alone and not scared at all, so I managed to sneak up real close and she posed willingly.

Ruffs were formerly trapped for food in England in large numbers; on one occasion, 2,400 were served at Archbishop Neville's enthronement banquet in 1465. The birds were netted while lekking, sometimes being fattened with bread, milk and seed in holding pens before preparation for the table. Not my piece of cake!