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Ringed Plover


Ringed Plover
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter van Zoest (PeterZ) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2012-02-22
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D300, Sigma 135-400mm f/4.5-5.6 APO, Digital RAW
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/400 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2012-03-10 6:56
Viewed: 3103
Points: 48
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
A photo taken during my last holiday in the Algarve, Portugal. Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, near Faro, is a very beautiful area with a lot of birds.

This is a Ringed Plover in winter plumage.

The Common Ringed Plover or Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) is a small plover.
Adults are 17-19.5 cm in length with a 35–41 cm wingspan. They have a grey-brown back and wings, a white belly, and a white breast with one black neckband. They have a brown cap, a white forehead, a black mask around the eyes and a short orange and black bill. The legs are orange and only the outer two toes are slightly webbed, unlike the slightly smaller but otherwise very similar Semipalmated Plover, which has all three toes slightly webbed, and also a marginally narrower breast band; it was in former times included in the present species. Juvenile Ringed Plovers are duller than the adults in colour, with an often incomplete grey-brown breast band, a dark bill and dull yellowish-grey legs.

This species differs from the smaller Little Ringed Plover in leg colour, the head pattern, and the lack of an obvious yellow eye-ring.

The Common Ringed Plover's breeding habitat is open ground on beaches or flats across northern Eurasia and in Arctic northeast Canada. Some birds breed inland, and in western Europe they nest as far south as northern France. They nest on the ground in an open area with little or no plant growth.

If a potential predator approaches the nest, the adult will walk away from the scrape, calling to attract the intruder and feigning a broken wing. Of course, once the intruder is far enough from the nest, the plover flies off.

Common Ringed Plovers are migratory and winter in coastal areas south to Africa. Many birds in Great Britain and northern France are resident throughout the year.

These birds forage for food on beaches, tidal flats and fields, usually by sight. They eat insects, crustaceans and worms.

There are three weakly defined subspecies, which vary slightly in size and mantle colour; they intergrade where their ranges meet:
• Charadrius hiaticula hiaticula - breeds temperate western Europe north to central Scandinavia; resident or short-distance migrant to southwest Europe. Largest and palest subspecies.
• Charadrius hiaticula psammodroma - breeds Iceland, Greenland, northeast Canada; wintering west Africa. Intermediate in size and colour.
• Charadrius hiaticula tundrae - breeds Arctic northern Scandinavia and Asia; wintering Africa and southwest Asia. Smallest and darkest subspecies.
C. h. hiaticula and C. h. tundrae are among the taxa to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

References
BirdLife International (2004). Charadrius hiaticula. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern.

Curiosity
There is a brand of wine in Portugal which is an homage to this bird.

Source: Wikipedia
Hussain58, thijs, marius-secan, cobra112, ramthakur, Pitoncle, PaulLees, CeltickRanger, Jakkals, maurydv has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To euroblinkie: AlmancilPeterZ 1 03-10 07:50
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2791 W: 0 N: 6696] (25839)
  • [2012-03-10 7:18]

Hello Pee,
very nice capture of this plover. I like its huge eye as well as the muddy river.
Excellent view with clarity and natural colors.
As usual, well presented in great details.

Regards,
Foozi

hallo Peter
super scherpe opname met veel details
Prachtige kleuren en goed zonlicht
Ik heb in de buurt van Almancil een keer gezeten ,super plek met ook veel vogels en veel slangen, boomkikkers en ook een Kameleon
Wel lang geleden, geen foto,s maar Film
groet lou

Hello Peter,

Hope life is good for you my neighbour here on TN.This is a wonderful shot of Ringed Plover in winter plumage. I hope too your trip was fruitful and enjoyable other than these marvellous photos of birds and beasts....smile. This is a typical plover habitat and these are innocent birds as well You have a sharp, finely focused photo here. Thanks a lot for sharing it....enjoy your trip and take care....warmest regards/Abid

Hi Peter,
Very beautiful plover, he's so cute
great POV and composition, wonderful colors,
Georg

Hello Peter,
I often see plovers here but have never seen them in this kind of environment, so it is new for me. I am not an expert on birds though. Is this the common plover that also occurs here by us? For some reason plovers are also active at night. Beautiful photo. Best wishes.
Neels

Hi Peter,
very good depth of field. Nice colours. Interesting bird.
Have a nice weekend,
Maciek

  • Great 
  • thijs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 82 W: 1 N: 104] (529)
  • [2012-03-10 10:50]

Hoi Peter

Wat zijn die pleviertjes toch altijd leuk! Ik vind ze altijd moeilijk te benaderen, maar het is jou duidelijk prima gelukt! Wat fijn dat je in deze tijd van het jaar nog even naar portugal kon! Je hebt hier prachtige kleuren en prima details vast weten te leggen. Bedankt!

Thijs

barthatibor
Hello Peter,
Really interesting photo of this bird.Very nice compozition with great details and lovely colours.
Have a nice weekend!
Regards,Tibi

Hello Peter,
Impressive image with this interesting bird. Wonderful capture with exceptional clarity and focus.
Outstanding composition, sharpness and fantastic details. Thanks for sharing!
Marius.

Ciao Peter. Good light and details for the bird. Interesting environment indeed.

Roberto

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2012-03-10 12:16]

Hello Peter.
A beautiful shot of this Plover, excellent detail in the plumage, exposure is perfect, wonderful colours and very good details.Best regards Siggi

Boa noite Peter
Beautiful capture of the "borrelho de coleira".Impressive sharpness,colors and lighting.Great POV and composition.
Thank You,
Have a nice WE!
J.Diogo

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2012-03-10 15:37]

Hi Peter.These are very friendly whit the photographers,and the plovers are one of the few specie that i have in my gallery too..ehehe...a very very nice capture,there is the sense of walk mouvement and an excellent sharpness,colors and composition.Have a nice Sunday and thanks,Luciano

Hello Peter
Beautiful photo with very good composition and wonderful natural colours.
Regards,
Christodoulos

very beautiful photo with this cute and free bird, great POV sow us the environment, great moment!
regards Peter
Nasos

Cute Ringed Plover captured in the most authentic surroundings, Peter.
Looks like it is early morning with the catchlight glinting in the eye of the bird and its elongated shadow.
Thanks and regards.
Ram

Bonjour Peter,
Agréable valorisation du sujet dans son environnement.
A bientôt sur TN pour de nouvelles aventures.
Gérard

Hi Peter, Very nice capture of this Ringed Plover my good friend, superb lighting/white balance with lovely natural warm colours, splendid sharpness, nice catch-lighted eye, terrific performance from you once again Peter TFS,
Best Regards,

Pauly.

Hello Peter

Excellent photo of the Ringed Plover with
fine POV, DOF and framing, beautiful light,
excellent focus sharpness and details, TFS

Asbed

Goedemorgen vriend Peter,
Very nice photo Common Ringed Plover!!! Great sharpness and colours.
My best regards.
João Edgar

Hi Peter,
An excellent composition with perfect placement of the Plover in your frame. The detail, sharpness and colours are excellent as usual. Great light management, low POV and DOF my friend.
Best regards,
Carl
PS.
Sorry for not being a more frequent visitor to TN but due to work related issues and the problems I experience with my network connection (usb stick)I am trying my best.

Hallo Peter,
a very beautiful capture of the Common Ringed Plover, superb sharpness and marvellous natural co,lours, very nice composition in a beautiful environment
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

Hello Peter,
Nice capture of a Plover with beautiful natural BG,excellent clarity and lovely freshness.
TFS and my regards,
Joy

hallo Peter
Ringed Plover is a regular winter visitor at our area and i was photographed it.
you taken this picture so nicely that we can see the bird and its habitat.
best wishes,
samiran

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