{"id":67513,"date":"2020-03-29T06:41:28","date_gmt":"2020-03-29T12:41:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=67513"},"modified":"2025-11-18T17:00:19","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T23:00:19","slug":"long-billed-curlews-have-returned-for-their-breeding-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/03\/29\/long-billed-curlews-have-returned-for-their-breeding-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Long-billed Curlews Have Returned For Their Breeding Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two days ago I heard and saw my first of the season Long-billed Curlews while looking for birds to photograph in northern Utah and I could barely contain my excitement.<\/p>\n

\"MaleMale Long-billed Curlew foraging in grasses close up – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I love hearing the calls<\/span><\/a> and songs of Long-billed Curlews because much like the calls of Common Loons, Sandhills Cranes and Tundra Swans their calls touch a deep part of me, the part of me that is as wild as they are. The part of me that knows I am as much a part of nature as they are.<\/p>\n

I wasn’t able to take photographs of the two Long-billed Curlews I spotted two days ago because they flew by too fast but I truly wanted to.<\/p>\n

Over the years that I have photographed Long-billed Curlews here in Utah I have had the best opportunities with this species on Antelope Island State Park because they seem to be a bit less skittish there than anywhere else I have found them in the state. I don’t know why but on the island they do<\/em> seem to be more approachable.<\/p>\n

\"MaleMale Long-billed Curlew foraging in mixed grasses – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

But… since Governor Herbert made a new announcement directing the citizens of Utah to “Stay Safe, Stay Home” because of the Coronavirus crisis only residents of Davis County can go to Antelope Island State Park<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Since I live in Salt Lake County I will not be able to get to the island to photograph the Long-billed Curlews that I know are there.<\/p>\n

I will miss being able to photograph the curlews on Antelope Island but I understand why we have the restrictions that we do. We all need to stay safe and healthy.<\/p>\n

I felt so much joy when I heard the Long-billed Curlews calling over the grasslands two days ago. I hope to hear them again sometime soon.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

These Long-billed Curlew photos were taken last April on Antelope Island State Park.<\/em><\/p>\n

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

Two days ago I heard and saw my first of the season Long-billed Curlews while looking for birds to photograph in northern Utah and I could barely contain my excitement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":164141,"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":[511,27,1022,199,26],"tags":[4004,4073,4142,9419,9378,4808,4809,4136,4109,4038,4132,4062,9418,4133,9417,274],"class_list":["post-67513","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-long-billed-curlews","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-breeding-season","tag-close-up","tag-coronavirus-crisis","tag-covid-19-pandemic","tag-curlew","tag-curlews","tag-foraging","tag-grasses","tag-grasslands","tag-long-billed-curlew","tag-male","tag-mixed-grasses","tag-numenius-americanus","tag-prairies","tag-shorebirds-2"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-grasses-mia-mcpherson-2014.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-hyV","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":101253,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/31\/spring-long-billed-curlew-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":67513,"position":0},"title":"Spring Long-billed Curlew Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 31, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday I spotted and pointed out this Long-billed Curlew foraging and calling in the grasses of the north end of Antelope Island State Park.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Alert male Long-billed Curlew in soft morning light, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-spring-mia-mcpherson-6441.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-spring-mia-mcpherson-6441.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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They weren't close enough to photograph but I know that soon I will have them in my viewfinder again.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Curlew walking the shore of the Gulf of Mexico at Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-shoreline-mia-mcpherson-6031.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-shoreline-mia-mcpherson-6031.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-shoreline-mia-mcpherson-6031.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I haven't heard a Long-billed Curlew calling for several weeks here in northern Utah and I already miss hearing their calls.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Long-billed Curlew calling, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-calling-mia-mcpherson-3632.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-calling-mia-mcpherson-3632.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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