Spotted Sandpiper on a seawall – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/750, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
It really isn’t too hard to spot this Spotted Sandpiper on the seawall, I just thought it was a catchy title. I saw my FOY (first of year) Spotted Sandpiper this past week and that got me excited. I was able to get close up images of them in Florida during the winter but still haven’t gotten images I can be proud of with them in breeding plumage. They are back though and that gives me hope.
The image above was taken at Fort De Soto County Park towards the end of January 2009, there is a lagoon that has some rip rap type of seawall and I would find Spotted Sandpipers there until around the end of March or beginning of April.
These sandpipers have the funniest little butt-bobbing walk and yesterday I found a video that shows that butt-bobbing well, you can view it here. Let me know if you think that is the cutest walk you have seen for a sandpiper! I sure think they do.
Mia
I am behind on commenting on everyone’s blogs and behind on replying to the wonderful comments you have made on my posts, I keep thinking I will get caught up and the more I think that the behindier I get. I’m trying though.
Ruddy Turnstone in early morning light – Nikon D200, handheld, f9, 1/500, ISO 320, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
I photographed this Ruddy Turnstone at Fort De Soto County Park in Florida several years ago as it stood on the sandy beach in early morning light. I like how the sunlight created a subtle warm glow to the shorebird’s plumage and the great catch light. This image was taken in November when the Turnstones were in nonbreeding plumage.
Red Knot in nonbreeding plumage – Nikon D200, handheld, f5.6, 1/640, ISO 320, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
A simple image of a Red Knot taken in Florida in early morning light. Morning has been; and is, my favorite time of day to photograph birds and other wildlife because the rising sun can add drama and a warm glow to whatever subject I am photographing. I was laying on the wet shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico when I photographed this Red Knot in nonbreeding plumage.
Common Merganser male in nonbreeding plumage – Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/1250, ISO 320, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
Last week I saw quite a few Common Mergansers at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge but I wasn’t able to get close enough to them to get any quality images but they reminded me of images I had been able to take of Common Mergansers several years ago at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area.
This is a male Common Merganser in nonbreeding plumage, if he were in breeding plumage his sides would be nearly all white and his head a very dark green.
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.
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.
Spotted Sandpiper on a seawall – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/750, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light
