{"id":9981,"date":"2013-10-26T04:58:08","date_gmt":"2013-10-26T10:58:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=9981"},"modified":"2025-06-12T10:51:59","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T15:51:59","slug":"piping-plover-on-the-shore-of-the-gulf-of-mexico-900th-post","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/10\/26\/piping-plover-on-the-shore-of-the-gulf-of-mexico-900th-post\/","title":{"rendered":"Piping Plover on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico – 900th Post"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"PipingPiping Plover on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico – Nikon D200, handheld, f5.6, 1\/2000, ISO 320, Nikkor 80-400mm at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Shorebirds; like this tiny Piping Plover I photographed on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico, are the primary reason I became addicted to bird photography. Addicted enough that this is my 900th<\/strong> post on my blog which is primarily about birds and bird photography. I can’t resist them.<\/p>\n

I’ve always loved birds and from the time I was a small child I was fascinated by them, \u00a0from the common American Robin to the majestic birds of prey, they drew me in. For me they were and are all visual delights\u00a0and my bird photography has brought me closer to them both physically and emotionally. It is amazing to have a tiny shorebird like this plover walk up within 5 feet of where I laid in the sand.<\/p>\n

No matter how crazy life\u00a0can be\u00a0when I have birds in my viewfinder I can relax and focus entirely on them and the beauty of the natural world.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

Shorebirds; like this tiny Piping Plover I photographed on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico, are the primary reason I became addicted to bird photography.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":138156,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,25,704,178],"tags":[4039,4021,4083,1114,14752,173,4077,3980,4323,5841,275,4891,274,3996],"class_list":["post-9981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-florida","category-fort-de-soto-county-park","category-piping-plovers","tag-beach","tag-bird-photography","tag-birding","tag-charadrius-melodus","tag-coastal-island","tag-gulf-coast","tag-gulf-of-mexico","tag-pinellas-county","tag-piping-plover","tag-plover","tag-plovers","tag-shore","tag-shorebirds-2","tag-water"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/piping-plover-florida-gulf-mia-mcpherson-9730.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-2AZ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4571,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/03\/01\/piping-plover-down-dirty\/","url_meta":{"origin":9981,"position":0},"title":"Piping Plover – Down & Dirty","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 1, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Piping Plovers nest in shallow scrapes in sand, gravel, salt flats or dunes which leaves their nests vulnerable to predators and in danger of being accidentally stepped on.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Foraging Piping Plover at the shore of the Gulf of Mexico. Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/piping-plover-summer-feeding-mia-mcpherson-9726.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/piping-plover-summer-feeding-mia-mcpherson-9726.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/piping-plover-summer-feeding-mia-mcpherson-9726.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/piping-plover-summer-feeding-mia-mcpherson-9726.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8803,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/07\/04\/piping-plovers\/","url_meta":{"origin":9981,"position":1},"title":"Piping Plovers","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Piping Plovers are small, sparrow sized shorebirds that are endangered and threatened in most of their range primarily due to human disturbance on their nesting grounds.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Curious Piping Plover, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/piping-plover-florida-mia-mcpherson-9201.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/piping-plover-florida-mia-mcpherson-9201.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/piping-plover-florida-mia-mcpherson-9201.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/piping-plover-florida-mia-mcpherson-9201.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":35959,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/02\/21\/piping-plover-on-a-shell-covered-beach-in-florida\/","url_meta":{"origin":9981,"position":2},"title":"Piping Plover On A Shell Covered Beach In Florida","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 21, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I took this image of the Piping Plover on a shell covered beach right after the sun came up when the light had that sweet golden tone to it","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Piping Plover on a shell covered beach at Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/piping-plover-beach-mia-mcpherson-6381.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/piping-plover-beach-mia-mcpherson-6381.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/piping-plover-beach-mia-mcpherson-6381.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/piping-plover-beach-mia-mcpherson-6381.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15764,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/09\/04\/a-morning-spent-at-fort-de-soto-six-years-ago-today\/","url_meta":{"origin":9981,"position":3},"title":"A Morning Spent At Fort De Soto Six Years Ago Today","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Six years ago this morning I was photographing birds at Fort De Soto County Park and I wanted to share a few images and memories of that day.","rel":"","context":"In "American Oystercatchers"","block_context":{"text":"American Oystercatchers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-oystercatchers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Juvenile American Oystercatcher in stormy light on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-8658.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-8658.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-8658.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-8658.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11517,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/12\/02\/gotta-love-those-shorebirds-semipalmated-plover\/","url_meta":{"origin":9981,"position":4},"title":"Gotta Love Those Shorebirds – Semipalmated Plover","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 2, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"I photographed this Semipalmated Plover as it foraged along the Gulf of Mexico in Florida in 2008 while I laid flat on the wet sand getting soaked as the waves pushed onto the shore around the sand bar in the distance.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fort De Soto Semipalmated Plover, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/semipalmated-plover-fort-desoto-florida-mia-mcpherson-7895.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/semipalmated-plover-fort-desoto-florida-mia-mcpherson-7895.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/semipalmated-plover-fort-desoto-florida-mia-mcpherson-7895.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/semipalmated-plover-fort-desoto-florida-mia-mcpherson-7895.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51532,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/04\/06\/photographing-shorebirds-at-eye-level\/","url_meta":{"origin":9981,"position":5},"title":"Photographing Shorebirds at Eye Level","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 6, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Taking photographs of shorebirds at eye level was very fulfilling for me and the images that resulted from my down & dirty technique have always made me feel an intimate connection to the birds.","rel":"","context":"In "American Oystercatchers"","block_context":{"text":"American Oystercatchers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-oystercatchers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fluffed up adult American Oystercatcher at Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-beach-mia-mcpherson-6966.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-beach-mia-mcpherson-6966.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-beach-mia-mcpherson-6966.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-beach-mia-mcpherson-6966.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\/9981","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=9981"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9981\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/138156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}