Foggy Black-bellied PloverFoggy Black-bellied Plover – Nikon D200, handheld, f7.1, 1/1500, ISO 640, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light

Two days ago after seeing thousands of Long-billed Dowitchers at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I began to think about shorebirds migrating from their breeding grounds to their wintering grounds. Many of them are such small birds yet they travel such a long way for a short period of time to breed. Shorebirds sparked my love of bird photography and they still remain a favorite subject to this day.

When I lived in Florida I was able to see some of the shorebirds that breed in the northern latitudes because they would over winter on the Gulf Coast or they stopped there to rest up and refuel before heading further south. Among those shorebirds were Black-bellied Plovers, our largest plover in North America.

One a fall day at Fort De Soto I was able to photograph this Black-bellied Plover on a foggy morning up close on the beach. The fog muffled all the sounds except the gentle waves on the Gulf and briefly it felt like the plover and I had the north beach all to ourselves.

I’m glad the shorebirds have begun their migration through Utah and hope that some time this fall I’ll be able to be as close to one of them as I was this Black-bellied Plover.

Life is good.

Mia