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Black-bellied Plover
Pluvialis squatarola |
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| The Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) is a fairly common shorebird species which breeds in the arctic tundra and winters along all the coasts of the United States and Mexico southward to South America. In breeding plumage the species has entirely black underparts as well as a black face, while in winter it loses most of the black. The first shot here was a wintering bird at San Luis Pass, Galveston Co., Texas, in September, 1999. The next two shots were taken on Sanibel Island, Lee Co., Florida, in December, 2000, also of wintering birds. These three images were all taken with a Canon EOS 1N and EF 300mm F/2.8 L lens and 2X extender on Fuji Sensia film. |  |
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| The Black-bellied Plovers in the next 4 shots were at Boca Chica, near the mouth of the Rio Grande, in Cameron Co., Texas in April, 2009. These birds were moulting into breeding plumage. These shots were taken with a Canon EOS 50D and an EF 800mm F/5.6 L IS lens. |  |
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| The next 13 images of mostly breeding plumaged Black-bellied Plovers were taken on South Padre Island, Cameron Co., Texas, in May, 2010, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and an EF 800mm F/5.6 L IS lens. |  |
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| The bird shown here raised its wings showing the characteristic black underwing markings of this species. |  |
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| The bird shown here is preening, then simply relaxing, resting back on its "knees" which is sometimes observed. |  |
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| The Black-bellied Plover in basic (winter) plumage in this shot was on the beach at South Padre Island, Cameron Co., Texas, in December, 2010. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and an EF 800mm F/5.6 L IS lens. |  |
| The basic plumaged Black-bellied Plovers on the right were at Port Aransas, Nueces Co., Texas, in February, 2013. |  |
| The mostly breeding plumaged Black-bellied Plover on the right was at Sea Rim State Park, Jefferson Co., Texas, in May, 2013. |  |
| Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola Crystal Beach, Galveston Co., Texas 23 September 2015 |
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| Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola Rollover Pass, Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston Co., Texas 3 October 2016 |
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| Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola Texas City Dike, Texas City, Galveston Co., Texas 13 Jnauary 2017 |
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| Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola in flight near Crystal Beach, Galveston Co., Texas 5 March 2018 |
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| Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola in flight near Crystal Beach, Galveston Co., Texas 5 March 2018 |
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