Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia)

Greg Lasley Nature Photography
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The Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) is quite distinctive among the smaller plovers typically found on Texas beaches due to its especially long and thick bill. It normally nests quite near the beach, but this particular female had a nest with three eggs (two of which later hatched) about 25 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico in Kenedy Co., Texas. On the photo of the bird sitting on the nest one of the eggs is barely visible just above the bird's right foot. The photos shown here were taken in June, 2000, with a Canon EOS 1N & EF 600mm F4L lens with a 1.4X extender. The camera and lens were mounted on a vehicle window mount. The film used was Fuji Velvia pushed one stop.

The next 4 shots on the left were taken near the Gulf coast of southern Tamaulipas, Mexico, in May, 2007. These images were taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and EF 500mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender. A male is on the immediate left, followed by three shots of a female bathing and stretching.