My first stop for birding was Lakeshore Sate Park in Milwaukee. A bird I have been waiting for since the last time they were on the lakefront, the American Avocet. They were at the beach there and doing some feeding and preening, but for the most part they rested. Once they were flushed by a dog walker with 3 dogs at the end of the beach, but that was the only time they took to the skies and they were present when I left. There where 11 birds present in this flock. Female Avocet has a more upturned bill. An amazing bird to photograph and watch too on a mostly sunny day with temps in the 70’s and little wind. Images were taken on May 5, 2018.
American Avocet
Close up, a male…
Coming in…
All Eleven of them…
The way they were…male in the front, female second, with another female third…
Just a drink, probable female…
Feeding…
The pose…
Bathing…
Bathing…
Bathing…
Preening…
Preening…
Preening…
Grooming those feathers…
Stunning reflection….
The stretch…
A few loops around high up after being flushed by the dogs but they returned…
Circling above…
On their way down…
Landing…
Just pretty, female…
Walking along, male…
Something to eat in the bill here…
A little run here…
Looking pretty with gnats around…
Resting and what they did a lot of…
The reflection…
Mouth stretching…
One feeding, others resting…
Walking along…
Calling…
The drip…
Preening…
More bathing…
Beautiful…
Beautiful!!!!
Great Images Jim. The one titled, one feeding others resting is an award winner! I would give some thought about submitting this image to some publications. Just my opinion Jim, I think it should be seen and enjoyed by many others.
The one I especially like is “The Reflection”. Wow!
Thank you for sharing these!
Amazing photos Jim.
Awesome shots. I love “circling above”.
Amazing photographs. This is a wonderful series showing many behaviors. Very enjoyable to view.
I like “circling above “. They form such a beautiful pattern in the sky! Guess this has become a contest, Jim. The photos are all awesome!
Simply stunning!
Jim love these images you’ve created. Wonderful captures of what I consider my favorite shorebird. I’ve been searching for these little buggers for four years now and with your call yesterday I was devastated. We missed them once again. We had prior commitments with Bird Fest in Oshkosh. We have now made 13 trips to the Lakeshore or Horicon or other areas after reports come in to search for the birds. It seems we live just outside the area enough that the time it takes for us to transport is the time they rest refresh eat and leave again. The kind of images you have created here are exactly what we are looking for to observe. So if you get a chance give us a call if they are seem again. Thanks for sharing. I call this little nemesis bird: The “Amazing American Avocet” they are so stricking.
A Masterclass in bird photography. In my opinion, this is your best series by far. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
Beautiful photos of my favorite shorebird. Thanks, Jim!
An amazing series of images you captured, job well done, Jim!