{"id":61959,"date":"2019-12-09T05:51:01","date_gmt":"2019-12-09T12:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=61959"},"modified":"2025-05-24T16:32:42","modified_gmt":"2025-05-24T21:32:42","slug":"killdeer-coping-with-a-snow-storm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/12\/09\/killdeer-coping-with-a-snow-storm\/","title":{"rendered":"Killdeer Coping With A Snow Storm"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"KilldeerKilldeer in a snow storm – Nikon D500, f6.3, 1\/2000, ISO 1250, +1.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I often write about the raptors, wading birds, ducks, geese, owls, sparrows and other birds that are tough enough to withstand Utah’s harsh winters and less about the shorebirds that are sturdy enough to cope with the blowing snows, and icy temps.<\/p>\n

I took this photo of a Killdeer in March of this year during a snow storm at a pond close to home. Winter was nearing its end for the season but here in northern Utah you can go from a nice 50 degree day to a snowstorm the next at that time of the year. It might seem strange to see a shorebird in the snow but it isn’t all that unusual where I live.<\/p>\n

I have seen Killdeer in every month of the year here in the Salt Lake Valley, at the pond close to home, the marshes that surround the Great Salt Lake and by the scores along the causeway to Antelope Island in freezing temps.<\/p>\n

Other shorebirds I see in the snow are Wilson’s Snipe and sometimes Greater Yellowlegs because they stay late here in the fall and arrive early in the spring. It is also possible to see American Avocets and Long-billed Curlews in the snow although I haven’t gotten any photos of them during a snowstorm, yet.<\/p>\n

Birds that we might think are too delicate to survive the freezing temps, howling winds and driving snow can and do surprise us with their strength and tenacity.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to view more of my Killdeer photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Birds that we might think are too delicate to survive the freezing temps, howling winds and driving snow can and do surprise us with their strength and tenacity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":146880,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,267,709,26],"tags":[4004,4144,768,270,5841,275,1984,3975,274,4043,4050,4509,8018,3996,373],"class_list":["post-61959","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-killdeer","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-charadrius-vociferus","tag-falling-snow","tag-killdeer","tag-plover","tag-plovers","tag-pond","tag-shorebird","tag-shorebirds-2","tag-small-in-frame","tag-snow","tag-snow-storm","tag-urban","tag-water","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-snow-storm-mia-mpcherson-8337.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-g7l","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":112070,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/04\/05\/killdeer-in-a-spring-snowstorm\/","url_meta":{"origin":61959,"position":0},"title":"Killdeer In A Spring Snowstorm","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 5, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning, after blowing, shoveling, and scraping about nine to ten inches of snow, I went looking for birds and found a Killdeer in a spring snowstorm.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Killdeer standing in water during a snowstorm, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/killdeer-adult-april-snowstorm-mia-mcpherson-7067.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/killdeer-adult-april-snowstorm-mia-mcpherson-7067.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/killdeer-adult-april-snowstorm-mia-mcpherson-7067.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/killdeer-adult-april-snowstorm-mia-mcpherson-7067.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":117589,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/10\/29\/fall-killdeer-at-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":61959,"position":1},"title":"Fall Killdeer at Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 29, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Since moving to Utah, I have seen and photographed Killdeer in every month of the year. It was no surprise that I found several at Bear River MBR last Monday.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Killdeer walking in shallow water at Bear River MBR, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/killdeer-flats-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5519.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/killdeer-flats-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5519.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/killdeer-flats-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5519.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/killdeer-flats-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5519.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":116599,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/10\/01\/killdeer-on-a-boat-ramp\/","url_meta":{"origin":61959,"position":2},"title":"Killdeer On A Boat Ramp","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 1, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week, I photographed this Killdeer on a boat ramp at Farmington Bay WMA. It's such a simple image, and that's probably why I like it so much.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Killdeer on a boat ramp at Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/killdeer-boat-ramp-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-1398.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/killdeer-boat-ramp-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-1398.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/killdeer-boat-ramp-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-1398.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/killdeer-boat-ramp-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-1398.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":124694,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/03\/19\/close-up-killdeer-in-soft-morning-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":61959,"position":3},"title":"Close Up Killdeer In Soft Morning Light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 19, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The first bird I photographed yesterday morning at Bear River MBR was this Killdeer in soft morning light. Truthfully, I am glad my first bird was a Killdeer.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Killdeer in soft morning light, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-adult-early-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-0647.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-adult-early-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-0647.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-adult-early-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-0647.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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