Got this guy at Fort De Soto in St Pete April 9. Hadn't been able to put a name to him, but from Sibley's I now think it might be a Dunlin in breeding plumage. Can someone confirm. Not the greatest image, I know. It was the first fifteen minutes I was shooting the 500 on the beach, and got it underexposed.
Nikon D7000, 500mm f/4
f/4, 1/1600 (should have been 1/500), ISO 800
It looks like a Dunlin molting out of breeding plumage. There are a few reddish feathers left in the coverts and the black belly patch is dwindling. Molting birds can be very confusing because they can look like almost anything between breeding plumage and basic plumage.
Thanks Paul and John. I really appreciate you taking the time to confirm. Learning to identify solely from books can be a pain. This site is a wonderful resource because of all the people willing to help out.
As the image was made in April this bird is molting into breeding plumage (not out of it) :). Again, see my Shorebirds; Beautiful Beachcombers.
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