Purple sandpiper

Purple sandpipers are small shorebirds, found around the Atlantic coastlines of Eurasia and North-America.

They breed in the arctic, as far north as Svalbard. During winter they migrate further south, although some also stay in (Northern) Norway and Iceland. They're often found foraging along rocky coasts, following the tides and feeding on arthropods and molluscs.

Purple sandpipers are monogamous, and typically return to the same nesting area and partner each year. They lay around 3-4 eggs, and both parents sit on them ± equally, but as soon as the eggs hatch the males become the sole caregiver and the female leaves the area.

I've come across purple sandpipers on several occasions in Finnmark (Varanger) and during one trip in Svalbard (Longyearbyen).