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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.
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Piping Plover
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
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Piping Plover
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For the most part they rested in a small area and did little moving about…
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Resting a lot…
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Earlier on the beach…
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Looking for things to eat early on…
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Searching through algae and debris on the beach for things to eat…
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Resting area…
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Distant in flight…
![](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/rIMG_0694_cr.jpg)
Preening…
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Preening…
![](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/rIMG_0233_cr.jpg)
Piping Plovers…
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Over the water they go, Semipalmated Plover in front, Ruddy Turnstone 2nd, all Sanderlings last..
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Coming towards me…
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The look back…
![](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/rIMG_0668_cr-1.jpg)
The Piping Plover standing pretty…
![](https://www.windowtowildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/rIMG_1296_cr.jpg)
Looking along the beach for something to eat on 8-30…
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Something in the bill…
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The portrait…
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Catches what looks like a fly?…
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On the run…