Plovers

Semipalmated Plover - Long Beach, BC This little plover is our most common on the Pacific coast. Its name comes from the semi-webbed feet that help to keep it from sinking into softer muddier areas. This beach is usually a favorite of surfing destination, but in the spring and fall, the shorebirds heading to the arctic circle use this as a refueling station. You can find a multitude of species running up and down the beach looking for critters that live in the sand. You can all see on the ground what looks like plastic, but these are remnants of small jellyfish that use this stiff chitinous sail to move them around on the open ocean. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Semipalmated Plover - Long Beach, BC
Semi-palmated Plover - Tofino, BC The classic Semi-palmated plover pulling a blood worm from the sand at Tofino's famous surfing spot, Long Beach. These little plovers were running on the flat sand with the rest of the peeps looking for fuel for the long flight south. Semi-palms winter along the coast from California south to Chile and from South Carolina south to almost the tip of South America. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Semi-palmated Plover - Tofino, BC
Killdeer - Meadow Lake, BC Meadow Lake is an ephemeral lake which means the water comes into the lake but does not leave. The water evaporates each year leaving minerals and salt on the edge of the lake which gives it the white appearance in the summer months. Killdeer love the shoreline for food and for nesting among the pebbles leaving just a scrape in the ground as a nest. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Killdeer - Meadow Lake, BC
Killdeer are one of the most common plovers in urban areas, but they are typically so hard to see if they aren't making a bunch of noise. Did you know that the Killdeer's scientific name translates from latin roughly as talkative sandpiper? Charadrius is the family of sandpipers and voiciferous speaks for itself. If you know the bird well you would probably agree. This bird was on the beach at White Rock just off from the pier. Michael Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Killdeer - White Rock
Semi-palmated Plover, Incinerator Rock, BC
Semi-palmated Plover - Incinerator Rock, BC