Piping Plover on a shell covered beach – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 320, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
I’ve been busy working on moving shorebird images from my old galleries to my new gallery format and while reprocessing some of the images I have uncovered a few gems I had forgotten about, this Piping Plover image is one of those gems. At least for me it is.
I took this image of the Piping Plover on a shell covered beach right after the sun came up when the light had that sweet golden tone to it and since the light was low the shadow of the plover was probably four times the length of the bird. It was December and even in Florida it may have been chilly that morning but when I was photographing birds on the beach I rarely noticed it because I was so focused on my passion, the shorebirds.
Piping Plovers overwinter along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and I always felt fortunate when I saw and photographed them. The scientific name for Piping Plovers is Charadrius melodus, the second part of the name, melodus, is because of the bell-like calls they make.
The call above was made while the plover was on its nonbreeding grounds. Additional calls can be heard on the Macaulay Library site.
I don’t get to see Piping Plovers here in Utah, I would have to travel east and north to eastern Montana, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska and a small section of Kansas or all the way to New England to find them on their breeding grounds in the United States.
I still think of them though along with all the smaller shorebirds I grew to know and love in Florida.
Life is good.
Mia
(Image taken in 2008)
Approximately three weeks ago your pictures in your e-mails have all been blurred. Even your logos which are always in the corners; they are completely unreadable. I suppose the problem could be at my end, but I am not having that problem with any other pictures I receive. Do you have any idea why this is a problem for me? I can’t think of anything that could be causing this.
Jo Ann, I sent you an email asking if you would forward me one of the emails that are blurred for me to look at, please check your spam folder to see if it is there?
Another charmer.
Beautiful image Mia
What a cutie! I really miss these little guys…..and warm weather, warm, gentle breezes, the sunshine and light, , the whisper of wind in the palms, the fish and all the plants and flowers….you know what I mean…..
MIA… WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DIPS BELOW ZERO IN YOUR NECK OF THE WORLD,
DO YOU EVER LONG FOR THE WARM, SHELL COVERED BEACHES OF FLORIDA? MY
WIFE, AND I JUST MADE A PERMANENT MOVE FROM WASHINGTON STATE, TO SARASOTA,
FLORIDA, AND I’M THOROUGHLY ENJOYING THE WARM DAYS, AND RELATIVE ABUNDANCE
OF PHOTOGRAPHIC SUBJECTS. FOR MANY YEARS WE WERE “SNOWBIRDS,” DRIVING DOWN
IN AUGUST, AND THEN DRIVING BACK NORTHWEST IN MAY, TRYING ALWAYS TO TAKE A
DIFFERENT ROUTE… YOU MIGRATED ONE DIRECTION, I WENT THE OTHER. LOVE YOU IMAGES.
“KEEP EM COMIN.” ;-)))
Mia, one of the best things about your photos is the incredible detail, which demonstrates that even some of the most commonplace birds are stunningly beautiful close up. Thanks again for these photos.
I agree, Jim…..so much is missed with just the naked eye….