I went for a walk on the bay side last evening and there were so many shore birds, I had to run home to get my camera. I haven’t seen that many shorebirds in months!
The Semipalmated Plovers were everywhere, dashing around trying to find their food in the mud flats. Semipalmated plovers are small, plump shorebirds with a short bill, long orangish legs, and a single black “necklace” of feathers.
An interesting fact: The name “semipalmated” refers to the partial webbing between the bird’s toes.
And just before – or after – this photo was taken…
“Suddenly the semipalmated plovers startle, then lift, swirling off in one smooth oscillation. They bank out over the water, stream up over the horizon, then arch backward in a long graceful curve, as if they were being sculpted by the wind. They return as abruptly as they left, falling out of the sky like drops of rain.~~The Black Swan”
― Ann Batterson
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/10271506-suddenly-the-semipalmated-plovers-startle-then-lift-swirling-off-in
That is so true! It looks like ballet!