My afternoon being battered by the strong winds at Ferrybridge also provided several other nice bird sightings, including these Knot (Calidris canutus).

I was intrigued by the epithet canutus in the bird’s scientific name; fortunately, Stefan Buczacki provides the answer in Fauna Britannica:

The name ‘Knot’ imitates the rather low, grunt-like call and dates back to the fifteenth century … there is a poorly founded belief that the name ‘Knot’ has some connection with King Canut and that the Knots were his favourite birds (hence Calidris canutus), presumably on the basis that they behave much as he did, foolishly playing around the tide-line.

The Knot is a relatively large wading bird – you can see a size comparison with a Dunlin in my first photograph. Both birds belong to the genus Calidris, a long list of waders that look rather alike and all breed in the high Arctic. We are fortunate to enjoy their presence during the winter months, when large flocks often form around parts of the British coastline. You can read more about the Knot on the BTO website.