American Avocet - Vanier Park, BC
In the fall we might see the occasional American Avocet from the breeding pairs that have spent a summer in one of the salt lakes of the interior of British Columbia. This somewhat plain white and black coloring is the fall and winter outfit of the bird, where as the breeding colors include a beautiful rusty wash like this bird from Consul, Saskatchewan. The upcurved bill is very different indeed and is used to be able to sweep along the surface of the water collecting food. The fall bird pictured here was having a quick rest in the pond in Vanier park, just across false creek from down town Vancouver.