{"id":70263,"date":"2020-05-27T06:09:13","date_gmt":"2020-05-27T12:09:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=70263"},"modified":"2025-11-18T17:09:05","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T23:09:05","slug":"sunrise-with-a-long-billed-curlew-in-a-florida-lagoon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/05\/27\/sunrise-with-a-long-billed-curlew-in-a-florida-lagoon\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunrise with a Long-billed Curlew In A Florida Lagoon"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SunriseSunrise with a Long-billed Curlew – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1\/1000, ISO 250, Nikkor 80-400mm at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

So far this year I have taken two cruddy photos of Long-billed Curlews. The photos were taken after the curlews lifted off from the grasses and the engine in the vehicle I was in was still running which created softer images than I like. The curlews also had their backs to me so those two photos went into my delete bin.<\/p>\n

I was excited about the return of the Long-billed Curlews and looked forward to photographing them on Antelope Island State Park, a location where I have had my best opportunities with curlews.<\/p>\n

But then lockdowns for the Coronavirus started and because I live in Salt Lake County I couldn’t go to the park on the island because it was only opened for Davis County residents during that period.<\/p>\n

So I missed all of the curlew courtship displays, I missed opportunities to photograph them having territorial fights, mating and calling on the wing. I missed out on the best time of the year to photograph these shorebirds that nest in our grasslands.<\/p>\n

By the time the governor here in Utah lifted the restrictions and people from outside of Davis County could go back to the park the biting gnats (no-see-ums) had appeared and because of my extreme reactions to their bites and my hyperactive immune system I have had to stay away from the island.<\/p>\n

I have not been there since March 17th. Am I sad about that? A bit.<\/p>\n

But staying safe during this global pandemic has been a top priority and I haven’t wanted to risk getting a bug bite that causes a reaction so severe that I needed to head to a hospital. So I have also missed seeing the curlews with their young.<\/p>\n

I will say that my favorite and most memorable times photographing Long-billed Curlews happened while I was still living in Florida well away from their breeding grounds. One might ask why.<\/p>\n

The answer would be the intimate connection I felt with the warmth of sand, the smell of saltwater, and to my subject. When I am photographing from inside a vehicle I can feel a connection to my subjects but it simply doesn’t feel as powerful or as intimate.<\/p>\n

I photographed this first spring, immature Long-billed Curlew<\/span><\/a> on May 24, 2009 at the north beach of Fort De Soto County Park in Pinellas County, Florida as she foraged in the warm waters of a tidal lagoon.<\/p>\n

I was laying flat on the wet sand with my elbows supporting my lens as the golden light of sunrise fell on her feathers. I was definitely connected to the earth, sky, water, and her at the time.<\/p>\n

Ah, what a pleasant memory.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Long-billed Curlew photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n

Tip: When using a vehicle as a mobile blind always, always<\/em> turn off the engine before raising your camera or clicking the shutter. The vibrations from the engine can and do cause soft images especially with longer focal lengths.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I will say that my favorite and most memorable times photographing Long-billed Curlews happened while I was still living in Florida well away from their breeding grounds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":135092,"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":[27,25,704,199,2000],"tags":[4039,5132,4808,4809,6214,6692,4070,5047,173,4067,3997,4132,3986,4133,4017,274,3996],"class_list":["post-70263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-florida","category-fort-de-soto-county-park","category-long-billed-curlews","category-pinellas-county-florida","tag-beach","tag-coastal","tag-curlew","tag-curlews","tag-dunes","tag-early-morning-light","tag-female","tag-first-spring","tag-gulf-coast","tag-immature","tag-lagoon","tag-long-billed-curlew","tag-north-beach","tag-numenius-americanus","tag-sand","tag-shorebirds-2","tag-water"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/long-billed-curlew-lagoon-mia-mcpherson-6916.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-ihh","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14505,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/03\/05\/the-long-billed-curlews-are-winging-their-way-to-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":70263,"position":0},"title":"Long-billed Curlews Are Winging Their Way To Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Long-billed Curlews have begun to leave or have left their wintering grounds and should be winging their way to Utah and arriving here any day now.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Long-billed Curlew feeding in a lagoon at Fort De Soto County Park in Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-feeding-mia-mcpherson-6047.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-feeding-mia-mcpherson-6047.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-feeding-mia-mcpherson-6047.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-feeding-mia-mcpherson-6047.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20713,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/02\/27\/whimbrels-and-long-billed-curlews\/","url_meta":{"origin":70263,"position":1},"title":"Whimbrels and Long-billed Curlews","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 27, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"When I lived in Florida I was able to see and photograph two of our largest North American shorebirds during winter which are Whimbrels and Long-billed Curlews.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Long-billed Curlew and a Fiddler Crab at the north beach of Fort De Soto County Park, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/long-billed-curlew-lagoon-mia-mcpherson-6759.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/long-billed-curlew-lagoon-mia-mcpherson-6759.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/long-billed-curlew-lagoon-mia-mcpherson-6759.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/long-billed-curlew-lagoon-mia-mcpherson-6759.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":26340,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/07\/05\/a-long-billed-curlew-with-is-head-all-twisted-around\/","url_meta":{"origin":70263,"position":2},"title":"Long-billed Curlew With Its Head All Twisted Around","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Owls are well known for being able to turn their heads 270 degrees, Long-billed Curlews aren't.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Long-billed Curlew with its head all twisted around, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-twisted-mia-mcpherson-7898.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-twisted-mia-mcpherson-7898.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-twisted-mia-mcpherson-7898.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20954,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/03\/15\/hoping-for-curlews\/","url_meta":{"origin":70263,"position":3},"title":"Hoping For Curlews","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 15, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Two days ago I saw my first of the year Sage Thrasher and now I am hoping to see and hear my first of the year Long-billed Curlews as well.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Long-billed Curlew on a sandy beach at Fort De Soto County Park, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-florida-mia-mcpherson-4634.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-florida-mia-mcpherson-4634.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-florida-mia-mcpherson-4634.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-florida-mia-mcpherson-4634.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45294,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/03\/02\/listening-for-long-billed-curlews\/","url_meta":{"origin":70263,"position":4},"title":"Listening For Long-billed Curlews","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 2, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The first of March always makes me think of and listen for Long-billed Curlews, our largest shorebird of North America.","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 in spring grasses, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-grasses-mia-mcpherson-0324.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-grasses-mia-mcpherson-0324.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-grasses-mia-mcpherson-0324.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-grasses-mia-mcpherson-0324.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14602,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/03\/23\/the-long-billed-curlews-are-back-in-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":70263,"position":5},"title":"Long-billed Curlews Are Back In Utah!","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 23, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"I saw my first of the year Long-billed Curlews two days ago on Antelope Island State Park flying overhead. 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, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-shoreline-mia-mcpherson-6031.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70263"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70263\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/135092"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}