Black-bellied plover in the winter. Black-bellied plover during breeding season.
Still another example of the difference between an LBB
in the breeding season and that same bird in the off-season
is the case of the black-bellied plover. In the winter the bird
is just a simple little brown bird. During breeding season it
has a beautifully colored black and white checkered back and
a dramatic black belly and face. Above is the side-by-side
comparison.
A second problem is the definition of “little.” The size of
a bird is a difficult thing to be sure of, particularly on the
beach. For a slightly larger bird at a slightly greater distance,
it is difficult to determine whether a bird is six inches or
seven inches long. Six inches long versus eight inches is
almost as hard. The one thing you can do is to compare the size of two birds in a group. If you recognize one of the birds
as a sanderling (about eight inches) then maybe you can
tell whether the second bird is larger or smaller. If only they
would just stand still for a minute! Then, you may be able to
narrow the search down by consulting a good bird guide, like
The Sibley Guide to Birds. A photo or two would also help in
the identification.
Finally, here is one of my all-time favorites—the red knot
(below left and right). Or, to be more accurate, red knots,
because there are almost always large flocks of them that use
Kiawah as one of their stopping places on their way from
their winter home in southern Argentina to their breeding
areas in the Arctic.
Red knot. Flock of red knots.
SUMMER/FALL 2017 • VOLUME 38
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