Peep Show! The Plovers

It has been awhile since I've done a wildlife blog....

Now is the time of year that many shorebirds or "peeps" (as us birders call them) make their migration southward. Wisconsin is the host to seven species of plovers, two species of stilts, 33 species of sandpipers as well as seven species of rails, eleven species of herons and egrets, plus ibis and cranes that line our shores. That is a lot to reel in.... Remember many of them either migratory (just passing through) or accidental (lost). We'll start with the plovers.

Below is a picture (taken at Bong SRA in Kenosha Co 5/24/2013) of one of Wisconsin's most common birds, a Killdeer. No they don't kill any deer. Their name comes from the obnoxious calls they make. It does get rather annoying after awhile. (ask Tender Heart) They can be found in just about any open field (usually nearby a pond), mudflats, sod farms and marshy areas across the state.

Similar to the Killdeer, is the Semipalmated Plover. What's different is instead of the two ring bands the Killdeer has, the Semi Plover has one. Take notice of the beak as well. While the Killdeer has a long black beak, the Semi Plover has a pushed in yellow one. Not quite as common as their cousin, the Semipalmated Plovers are more confined to mudflats, sod farms and shore lines during migratory season. The picture below of this cutie was taken at Myers Park in Racine 0n 5/23/2013.

Even more of a unique find than a Semipalmated Plover is a Black Bellied Plover. Wisconsin is just a mere stopover this long distance migrant. It breeds in the tundras of Canada and winters far south as Argentina. That is a lot of miles on the wings! If you noticed, the picture taken below (on 10/28/2012 by the lighthouse in Racine) the Black Bellied Plover does.not have a black belly. That is because it is in its winter plumage. When they make their back, they'll be showing off their distinctive breeding plumage.(I've yet to see one in this plumage)

One of my most amazing finds for this year is the rare and elusive Piping Plover. Just how rare they are? Well, they are listed as a federally endangered species with a Great Lakes population of about 32 breeding pairs. (There are more in the plains states and the Atlantic Coast). Yeah...whoa! Just how did I come across this rare sighting? It was a bit of a surprise actually! I was birding at Myers Park, searching for an accidental Northern Mockingbird when I ran into another birder there, taking pictures of a small flock of Willet (another good find). He told me of three Piping Plovers present at North Beach. Now, I was facing a dilemma. Keep searching for the mockingbird or find the Piping Plover? Well, mockingbirds are common in the southern states while the Piping Plovers are endangered. No brainer! Off I went to North Beach! There they were! Three CUTE little sparrow sized peeps scurrying around by the yacht club. AWESOME! This picture blow was taken at North Beach on 4/29/2013.

Apparently, these Piping Plovers were just passing through towards their breeding grounds in the Apostle Islands. They stayed on the North Beach, making their way towards English Street, for about a week. What surprised me the most was the lack of leg bands on this particular bird.

Coming soon... Sandpipers, stilts and other shorebirds. Happy birding!