Shorebirds
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Great Egrets and Forster's Tern in Rain
A flock of great egrets fly to shelter at the start of a rainstorm in Wisconsin. The dark skies were lit by afternoon sun causing it to glow and providing a counterpoint to the whites of the egrets. A solitary fishing Forster's tern is also seen in the frame.
An adult Clark's grebe shakes water off its feathers as part of evening preening in Utah's Great Salt Lake. Like many shorebirds, grebes maintain a healthy distance between themselves and humans. So, it is a rewarding experience to get them to relax in our presence as this grebe did during my time there.
American White Pelican and Reflection
I came across this juvenile American white pelican early one morning in a ditch close to the Great Salt Lake. I liked the diffused light and the dark background which set off the pelican and its reflection.
A western sandpiper feeds on seaweed on a Bay Area seashore. I wanted to capture the sandpiper against a background of the incoming tide.
A Wilson's Phalarope feeds on midges and brine flies in the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Phalaropes typically feed by swimming in circles and flushing out their prey, but here I observed them stalking the flies, pouncing on them at the end. The glowing water is from the setting sun filtering through skies filled with smoke from wildfires.
A trio of white pelicans in the middle of feeding. Pelicans feed in small to lareg flocks and offer opportunities for attractive bird group shots.
Long-Billed Curlew in Evening Light
An adult female curlew feeds in an open piece of land in northern Utah's open grasslands late in the evening, keeping a close eye on its nest nearby. Curlews demonstrate sexual dimorphism in that the female long-billed curlews have significantly longer beaks than males.
Western Grebe Shaking off Water
A western grebe shakes off water as part of its morning routine. Grebes are diving birds and spend much of their time underwater looking for fish or crustaceans. Their feathers are waterproof and keeping them in good health is critical to their survival. Here the grebe's feathers had got wet as it preened and the shake was part of its effort to remove the water.
A trio of American white pelicans arrive at their feeding area These large birds nest inland but close to water bodies. They fish in small to moderately sized groups, often diving in unison. Here, I saw them arrive in small numbers to feed on carp trapped by a small check dam. I was captivated by the lighting, synchronous head angles and colors.
I came across this group of avocets feeding in a Bay Area harbor late one evening. It was interesting to observe the flock feeding in a circle. One avocet would dredge the bottom bringing up invertebrates and crustaceans, and the next member would move in to feed in that spot. The steady movement of the birds and low light gave a opportunity for an abstract.
A juvenile Clark's grebe follows it parent learning to feed in the process. The still waters and evening light highlight the pair and their reflections.
A pair of western grebes feed at Utah's Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I was able to observe and photograph this pair at close range for a while. I liked the synchronous head angles as well as the contrasting poses of the male and female.
