Fort De Soto County Park

Mountain Plovers – Comparing two similar looking species

By Mia McPherson, on April 23rd, 2013%

Killdeer

I must admit that when I first saw the Mountain Plovers I reported on Antelope Island State Park I knew exactly what I was looking at because I had dreamed of seeing Mountain Plovers and had studied their appearance in every guidebook and app that I own. Even though I was looking at a tiny bird that was about a football field and a half away in distance and the light on the bird was bad, I knew I was seeing a bird I had longed to see.

But there are a few similar species that occur in Utah and surrounding states that could be confused with Mountain Plovers. Killdeer look similar but there are some key ID features that help with identification. Killdeer have very dark breast bands, a red orbital ring around very dark eyes, a black collar that encircles the neck, a dark cheek patch (auriculars), brownish upper parts, white belly and a brownish crown.

Mountain Plover right side profile

Mountain Plovers lack the double breast bands, the red orbital ring around the eyes, light colored auriculars, sandy brown upper parts, a black line that runs from the bill to the eyes in breeding plumage, black crown with a white forehead and a pale belly. Mountain Plovers also lack the double breast band that is unique to Killdeer.

Both birds do have thin, black bills.

Black-bellied Plover in nonbreeding plumage

It would be easy to see the differences between a Mountain Plover and a Black-bellied Plover in breeding plumage but at long distances Black-bellied Plovers in nonbreeding plumage could possibly be mistaken for Mountain Plovers. Black-bellied Plovers are larger but at a distance that would be hard to see.

Black-bellied Plovers have a thicker, longer bill than Mountain Plovers do. They have checkered upper parts, darker legs and their chest can have streaks on it. Their bodies also appear more rounded than Mountain Plovers.

Adult Mountain Plover left side profile

It always helps to have high quality images to use in making ID’s but there are times that is not possible and at that point any photo is better than none. It would also help to make notes on the size, shape, color, behavior and other ID keys such as size of the bill, plumage patterns, leg length and color and more.

Recently on the ABA Rare Bird Alert Facebook page there was a possible Mountain Plover reported in Jasper County, South Carolina that had an interesting discussion on the reported sighting where the ID has been decided that is was an American Golden Plover. The sighting was posted on April 16th but photographed the same day as I photographed the pair I found on Antelope Island, Utah. I found the discussion interesting.

Bird identification can be fun and very challenging, sometime more challenging than not.

Mia

Earth Day 2013

By Mia McPherson, on April 22nd, 2013%

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

I wanted to share these images because today is Earth Day. Every plant on this planet matters today and for future generations. This Jack-in-the-Pulpit matters. It can’t grow in the area where I found it in Florida if rampant development continues at alarming rates. Many plants are endangered from development, pollution and because they can’t compete with invasive species.

Female Scarlet Skimmer

The earth needs its insects, from spiders, bees dragonflies and every other insect. Bees are critical for food production yet poisons are being used that kill them and genetically modified plants are playing a roll in that too. Insects matter. This female Scarlet Skimmer helps to naturally control insect pests like mosquitoes. Insects matter, a lot.

White morph Reddish Egret

Birds are my passion, my fascination and I appreciate every bird on this planet. Birds matter. Birds help to disperse seeds and they are valuable to each and every one of us, even for the people who don’t realize it. But many birds on earth are in danger of becoming extinct if we don’t step up to prevent it from occurring as it has with the Passenger Pigeon, the Dodo and many more.

Coyote on Antelope Island State Park

Mammals matter, all wildlife does. But wildlife needs our help, many species are vulnerable and endangered. How can we close our eyes?

Zion National Park, Utah

We need to protect the land, it matters. Protect it from pollution, from over development from the scars of mining and clear cutting forests. The Earth matters.

Mia

Ruddy Turnstone and a Laughing Gull

By Mia McPherson, on April 18th, 2013%

Ruddy Turnstone with a Calico shell

Five years ago today I was laying in the warm wet sands of Fort De Soto County Park’s north beach as the salty water from the Gulf of Mexico soaked my skin while photographing a Ruddy Turnstone doing what they do best, turning things. The Ruddy Turnstone was turning this Calico Shell over to get at the bits of the creature that was still inside the shell. I was able to get a nice series of about 10 images before some beach walkers walked directly between the turnstone and me. Surely they had to wonder why a woman would be laying in the sand with a camera shoved against her face? I guess not because they continued on their way and the turnstone went the other.

Nonbreeding Laughing Gull with a Calico Shell

As soon as the beach walkers and the turnstone left this Laughing Gull walked over and took the rest of the meat from inside the shell though unlike the Ruddy Turnstone it did not turn it over once.

Mia

Shades of Blue – Wildflowers, Birds, Sky and Sea

By Mia McPherson, on April 17th, 2013%

Blue-eyed Grass – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/400, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light

Last week I was Thinking Pink so this week I thought I would focus on the shades of blues found in wildflowers, birds, the sky and seas. Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) is one of my favorite blue wildflowers from the eastern United States. Blue-eyed Grass isn’t actually a grass at all, it is from the Iris family and may have gotten the “Grass” part of its name because the leaves are very thin and grass-like. I found and photographed this beauty under the pines of the Osprey Trail at Honeymoon Island State Park in Florida.

Great Blue Heron in the Gulf of Mexico – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 230mm, natural light

It seems to me that Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) are misnamed because they are more gray than they are blue, in fact when I see a Great Blue Heron posted on line that is very blue I scratch my head because they really aren’t that blue. I photographed this Great Blue Heron as it walked along the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico at Fort De Soto’s north beach in Florida.

Little Blue Heron stalking prey in a tidal lagoon – Nikon D200, handheld, f7.1, 1/640, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 360mm, natural light

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) adults are more blue than Great Blue Herons, at least from the base of the neck to their tails, their necks have a reddish cast to them. I was sitting in the lagoon with the Little Blue Heron approached me while it was stalking and hunting prey at Fort De Soto County Park in Florida.

Male Lazuli Bunting – Nikon D200, f8, 1/500, ISO 250, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

Male Lazuli Buntings (Passerina amoena) have a gorgeous azure blue head as well as some blue on other parts of their bodies. The word “lazuli” come from the semi-precious gemstone Lapis Lazuli which comes in various shades of blue with gold colored specks. I photographed this Lazuli Bunting in the San Rafael area of Utah and the background is the color of sandstone found in that area.

Mountain Bluebird - Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/2500, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4 TC at 400mm, natural light

Mountain Bluebirds (Sialia currucoides) are one of the bluest bird species I have photographed, especially the males. I didn’t add any color saturation to this image at all, this is how blue the bird looked in the light conditions I had at the time I took this image at Red Rock lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana. The males during the breeding season are a rich, vibrant blue.

Blue skies at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana – Nikon D200, handheld, f20, 1/160, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18mm, natural light

Some of the bluest skies I have ever seen have been at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Montana where on a clear (or not so clear) day you can see for miles & miles. I loved how this wave of clouds fanned out in this frame and added a nice contrast to the blue tones in the sky.

Amazing blues of Magens Bay, Saint Thomas, USVI – No techs, this is a panorama made from several images that were joined together

The colors of the seas and oceans have always drawn me to water because they can vary from the palest aquamarine to deep royal blues and everything in between. Magens Bay in Saint Thomas and the Atlantic Ocean beyond it give this image wonderful shades of blue that I find very soothing and it brings back nice memories of my stay on the island.

Shades of blue…

Mia

American Oystercatcher with prey

By Mia McPherson, on April 10th, 2013%

American Oystercatcher with prey – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 250, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light

American Oystercatchers were among my favorite shorebirds to photograph at Fort De Soto County Park’s north beach when I lived in Florida. Their bright orange bills, pink legs, black & white plumage and bright yellow eyes rimmed in red always fascinated me plus their behavior and distinctive call often amused me. I photographed this adult Oystercatcher as it hunted for prey in the shallow water of a tidal lagoon and was pleased to get this image with a tiny mollusk in its bill.

I’ve been fairly busy recently, I hope to get caught up on thanking you all for the kind comments that you have left on my posts this past week.

Mia

More American Oystercatcher images