![\"mountain-plover-4714-ron-dudley\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/mountain-plover-4714-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThis was one of my most memorable bird photography encounters ever.<\/p>\n
In early April of 2013 Mia and I discovered a wayward pair of migrating\u00a0Mountain Plovers on Antelope Island.\u00a0They’re uncommon throughout their range and extremely rare in Utah so\u00a0this sighting was likely the only experience I’ll ever have\u00a0with the species. I was able to get many high quality photos of them and I’ve posted some of them previously but these images are new to my blog.<\/p>\n
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1\/3200, f\/7.1, ISO 400, Canon 7D,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 II Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n Sexes are similar but I suspect this bird\u00a0may have been\u00a0the male of the pair as his colors are slightly more contrasty and his rufous tones more distinct. Both birds were foraging for insects in the grasses and as you’ll see below they were very good at it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/3200, f\/7.1, ISO 400, Canon 7D,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 II Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n Presumable this more drab individual was the female. You’ll notice that Mountain Plovers lack the black breast bands (think Killdeer) typical of\u00a0many plovers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f\/8, ISO 400, Canon 7D,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 II Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n It was fascinating to watch their behaviors\u00a0every time\u00a0they perceived a\u00a0potential threat. Whenever a Common Raven, Northern Harrier or Red-tailed Hawk would fly anywhere near they would stop foraging and hunker down in a small depression on the ground. They would lay low until the threat passed. This bird has just raised its head to see if it’s\u00a0safe to begin foraging again.<\/p>\n This behavior results in the drably marked bird virtually disappearing in\u00a0the grasses\u00a0and has fostered the nickname “Prairie Ghost” among those who seek it out.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 400, Canon 7D,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 II Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n On their breeding range further north Mountain Plovers feed primarily on grasshoppers but early April is a little early for grasshoppers in Utah and these two were mostly eating insect larvae. Here the presumed\u00a0male has one at the tip of his beak.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 II Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n The female was no slouch at hunting either and here her prey can be more easily seen. Their typical foraging behavior has been described as follows: “they make a short run of about 1 meter, then stop and survey for insects moving on surface. Once prey is spotted, bird makes a second, quick run and jab to secure it”. And that’s exactly<\/em> what these birds were doing.<\/p>\n They must have read the book.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This was one of my most memorable bird photography encounters ever.<\/p>\n![\"mountain-plover-4696-ron-dudley\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/mountain-plover-4696-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"mountain-plover-4601-ron-dudley\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/mountain-plover-4601-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"mountain-plover-4745-ron-dudley\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/mountain-plover-4745-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"mountain-plover-4192-ron-dudley\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/mountain-plover-4192-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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