From Sandy Hook in June. Between predation by foxes and some ill-timed storms (not to mention the popularity of the Jersey Shore among Homo sapiens), this has been a bad nesting year for this endangered species in New Jersey. I hope they are doing better elsewhere.
Hi Bill, love the drinking pose with the dripping water, and good DOF on the plover. The plumage detail shows up nicely, and I do like the blues of the water BG. Maybe a bit off the top.
Nice depth of field on the plover. I like the pose and the background. It's a shame about the nesting this year. If that was at the hook it is a very busy place and people love to walk there dogs off the leash even though there are signs posted every 15 feet.
Thanks everyone. Yes, I could try trimming a bit off the top. Diane, I liked the water quality and would have included more on the bottom, but there was a bunch of debris just below where I cropped.
David, this was taken at the tidal cut on the False Hook early in June. There were indeed lots of fishermen, dog walkers and others (like me) out there. The NPS had roped off the nesting areas of the Piping Plovers, Least Terns and Am. Oystercatchers (all endangered in NJ) prior to that, but left the tip itself open. Folks tended to respect those cordoned areas. I went back later in June and found that they had roped off the entire False Hook, including this tidal cut, as they had done in previous years. Some fishermen ignored the ropes and signs in that area. I was a good boy and stayed clear, even though that's where most of the birds were.