With rain falling on my way to the Milwaukee lakefront I was expecting a quiet day birding. Halfway in I received a text from Mike W that a couple of the rare Piping Plovers were present at Bradford Beach. When I arrived at the beach they were still hanging around but for the most part rested while I was present. With lots of heavy equipment moving about the beach area a few feet from the birds with the upcoming fest, not surprising the Piping Plovers did not stay in one place very long. Beautiful birds we only usually see once a year if that, considered rare here, it was nice to see them for once without leg bands. It was a light rainy morning to start, then just clouds, light winds from the north early, temps were a pleasant 66 degrees. Images were taken on August 29th and 30th, 2018.
Piping Plover
Binomial name: Charadrius melodus
Category: Lapwings and Plovers
Size: 7.25” long, 19” wing span
Weight: 1.9 oz
Note: Normal breeding range Great Plains from Alberta, Canada south to Oklahoma, winters on Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico gravel and sand beaches. The research I have done states this bird is listed as Endangered in Wisconsin