Shorebirds are migrating south from their breeding grounds and sometimes the plumage differences can be remarkable, today I am sharing images of Black-bellied Plovers.
Black-bellied Plover in nonbreeding plumage – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 160, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 370mm, natural light
This is a photo of a Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) in nonbreeding plumage taken in Florida during the month of December of 2008, they are beautiful shorebirds and the largest plover of North America.
Black-bellied Plover in (near) breeding plumage – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 200, Nikkor 70-300mm VR at 300mm, natural light
This Black-bellied Plover was photographed during the month of May in 2009 at Fort De Soto’s north beach, it is pretty close to being in full breeding plumage and probably soon after this image was created the plover would have made its way to the Arctic to nest.
Black-bellied Plovers in breeding and nonbreeding plumage can look like two different plover species but they aren’t.
I find the plumage differences amazing in these shorebirds.
Mia
P.S.: My mother is visiting me on her first trip to Utah, she is going to love it! I’ll be slow to view and comment on your blogs, thanks for understanding. Please feel free to share this post with your friends and family.
Thank you Bob and Beverly.
Excellent! Wow, what a change in plumage!!
Brilliant photographs.