March 28, 2021 - Shorebirds

While we were in Florida, I photographed several species of shorebirds. Most of them were in their drab, winter plumage. This American Oystercatcher is an exception. It looks the same all year round with its bright orange beak, orange eye ring, pink legs, and black, brown, and white plumage. This particular bird has some “jewelry” as well. Notice the red bands on each leg and the silver band on its right leg. That means it was captured and banded by some group that is monitoring these birds.

OystercatcherAmericanGeorgeIslandStatePark20210121

When the Oystercatcher spread its wings, it revealed an interesting brown and white pattern. It’s a large shorebird, about 17½ inches long with a 32-inch wingspan. Despite its name, mussels, not oysters, are its main food.

OystercatcherAmericanflightGeorgeIslandStatePark20210121

The Dunlin is a small shorebird, 8½ inches long with a 17-inch wingspan. This is typical behavior, probing in the mud along a shoreline looking for food.

DunlinBaldPointStatePark20210207

The Black-bellied Plover is somewhat larger, 11½ inches long with a 29-inch wingspan. It breeds on the far northern Tundra. Its black and white breeding plumage is dramatically different than the brown mottled winter plumage shown here.

PloverBlackbeliedGeorgeIslandStatePark20210121

The Semipalmated Plover is on the small side, only 7¼ inches long with a 19-inch wingspan. Its breeding plumage isn’t very different than the winter plumage seen here. The main difference is that the beak turns orange with a black tip.

PloverSemipalmatedGeorgeIslandStatePark20210108

Sanderlings are energetic little shorebirds. They are 8 inches long with a 17-inch wingspan.

SanderlingjuvenileplumageSikesCutThePlantationGeorgeIsland20210124

Sanderlings are usually seen running up and down the beach like little wind-up toys. They seem to chase the waves as they roll in and recede back out. Here I managed to photograph two of them actually taking a break and resting on the sand.

SanderlingpairMexicoBeach20210205

The Snowy Plover is a tiny shorebird, only 6¼ inches long with a 17-inch wingspan. The Florida population is listed as threatened. I found a pair of them along the beach at St. George Island State Park. This male is already in breeding plumage with dark patches on the top of his head and behind his eyes. Notice all the colored bands on his legs. Snowy Plovers are intently studied so many of them are banded like this.

PloverSnowyGeorgeIslandStatePark20210225

Here’s the female of the pair. She is also banded. I found a web site for reporting banded Snowy Plovers and I reported these two. The original banders are anxious to get these reports so they can keep track of where the birds are.

PloverSnowyGeorgeIslandStatePark20210225