Short-billed Dowitcher at the edge of a tidal lagoon – Nikon D200, handheld, f7.1, 1/250, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
Short-billed Dowitchers (Limnodromus griseus) spend their breeding season in remote northern bogs which means loads of biting bugs, but during other times of the year they can be found on coastal mudflats, saltmarshes or freshwater pools near the coastlines of North, Central and South America.
This Short-billed Dowitcher was going into breeding plumage and was resting along the Gulf Coast of Florida on its way north.
Short-billed Dowitchers feed on insects, crustaceans and aquatic mollusks. Quite often when I lived in Florida I would see them feeding on Coquinas which are small bivalves or tiny Fiddler Crabs.
Dowitchers can live up to 20 years in the wild and are social birds that are often seen in large flocks.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Short-billed Dowitcher photos plus facts and information about this species.
Beautiful as always! I’ve never seen one IRL. Beautiful light!
I hope that you get to see one soon Beverly, thanks much for your comment.
Gorgeous shot Mia!
Thank you Karen!
Beautiful capture of a pretty bird, Mia. I have only seen one once from a distance, but seeing a close up like this in breeding plumage is fantastic.
Thank you Dan, I hope that you get to see more Short-billed Dowthcers close up soon.
Hi Mia, I’m really glad to come across your wonderful blog! Your images are magical,and your blog is super informative!
Thank you for visiting my blog and commenting on this image Amila!
A beautiful photograph of this treasure which I have never seen. Long-billed Dowitchers aplenty but I’ve not spotted a Short-billed yet. The plumage patterns on this bird are just gorgeous Mia! I have only seen the Long-billed in non-breeding plumage. I hope you didn’t get any sand in your lens taking this shot 😉
Thanks for your very kind comment on this Dowitcher image Larry. I hope that you see & photograph a Short-billed soon.
I didn’t get any sand in my gear taking this image, I was actually more concerned about the water I was in to take the shot. But I have never dropped/dunked or dipped my lenses into water. Thank goodness!
Nice shot! Just the other day I was staring at a Dowitcher for a long time trying to turn it into a Short-Billed. I never could, and never got a good look at the beak. Oh well…
Thanks Laurence. I’ve seen many more Short-billed Dowitchers than Long-billed and hope to photograph the Long-billed more often myself.
Such a beautiful bird. The detail is wonderful. I couldn’t stop looking at him. I love the markings on his feathers. Carol
Carol, Dowitchers are fairly plain when not in breeding plumage but they sure are colorful when they are! Thanks for your comment.