NATURE CLICKS #519 - LONG-BILLED CURLEW

Long-billed Curlew, Badlands National Park, South Dakota

I have seen the Long-billed Curlew only along the coast in Southern California before, always during winter time, and it was a little bit of a surprise when I found them last spring in South Dakota. The Badlands have a lot of grassland to offer, with a few marshy spots here and there, and they are actually a perfect breeding ground for this large sandpiper. It is an uncommon bird and to my surprise we found them again a week ago at the same area of the national park. With their extraordinary long bill they are able to to reach ahead and pick up insects or to probe just below the surface of mud or soil. They also feed on burrowing wolf spiders in South Dakota, with the curve even matching the general shape of a spider burrow (source: sdakotabirds.com).

Distance was closer than last year but still not enough for an uncropped image. We watched them using the car as our “mobile blind”. In these wide open grasslands you have no chance to approach them by going on foot. There is also a lot of other birds and critters to watch and the last thing we wanted to do is disturbing any of them. Overall we saw five curlews and it was highly interesting to watch them foraging after their migration from the south.

NATURE CLICKS #350 - LONG-BILLED CURLEW

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach, California ---------

One of the reasons I always like to come back to the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve is the abundance of shorebirds. The Long-billed Curlew is the largest shorebird in North America. It breeds farther north and spends the winter in southern California and Mexico. The first image was made in the late afternoon, less than an hour before sunset. The other picture is from the early morning. Using the soft light in the morning (there was a slight overcast) and the low sun in the late afternoon were key for these photos.

All images: Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens, tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Nikon SB 800 speed light, Better Beamer flash extender

In Bolsa Chica you are not supposed to leave the levees and the gravel trails on top of them. Yesterday I wrote about that the wetlands are still under restoration and the shores are very fragile. I usually respect and obey the rules without stretching them too far. The downside is that most of the time you shoot slightly or even greater extend from above the water level. This doesn’t always lead to a good viewing angle and perfect background.