The One that Got Away

Having grown up fishing, I often compare birding to fishing. If that’s true, then this is the one I hooked but got away. It is impossible to miss Black-Bellied Plovers when observing shorebirds because they are usually one of the biggest birds on the beach and their startling black-and-white plumage is impossible to miss.

There were two Black-Bellied Plovers on the far side of this large flock of shorebirds.

Black-Bellied Plovers generally keep their distance. This, for instance, is a heavily cropped shot, which explains its lack of detail.

I managed to get closer to this one, but it kept walking away for me,

and took off as I approached.

,

I’d love to show you the great shot I got of a Black-Bellied Plover, but I must have accidentally deleted it on my first screening of the shots I’d taken.