A short study of an old friend
I’m not sure if it’s the attractive color scheme, the way they move through water or something more ethereal that draws me to the avocet. This is a bird that I am endlessly curious about and it steals time from other shorebirds whenever I cross ones path. Last weekend at Frank Lake was no different.
Spring at this wetland just east of High River has a myriad of summer residents settling in and migrating travelers on their way north. This visit along the shoreline counted ibis, night herons, cormorants, killdeer and more fly by as the evening shadows slowly grew. I photographed many of them but none as often as the avocets.
Most of these were paired up and the couples swam together or high stepped in the shallows near one another while they fished. I saw two sets skirmish over territory briefly. However most just ambled along undisturbed – company to one another and disinterested in much else.
Christopher Martin Photography 
They are beautiful birds. They are different, as they have a long beak and long legs. They also are very colorful.
May 14, 2017 at 5:43 pm
Wow, you got some amazing shots! The avocet is also one of my favorites, too, but I have never seen one up close. Thanks for sharing!
May 13, 2017 at 9:36 pm
I love seeing Avocets and have Frank Lake on my bucket list-an amazing spot for birds.
May 9, 2017 at 2:00 pm
Stunning birds.
May 9, 2017 at 8:47 am
Beautiful bird and a nice collection of photos!
May 9, 2017 at 2:41 pm
On Sunday afternoon, I captured the mating ritual of a pair of black-necked stilts, which are similar to these birds in general appearance. I was talking with a birder last night about what I thought must be part of the ritual, including the male stirring the water with his bill. He said that was common, and added that male avocets like the ones you’ve photographed will “pound” the water with their bills, and that after mating, they also cross bills with the female and seem to snuggle. Have you ever seen that behavior?
In any case, these birds are as compelling as the stilts, and the photos are wonderful: especially that warm light. Might I ask what lens you were using? I have a 70-300mm, but even so, water birds often are almost out of range for me.
May 9, 2017 at 4:58 am
Reblogged this on Le Bien-Etre au bout des Doigts.
May 9, 2017 at 1:06 am