A Beautiful Dunlin Goes Solo Placemat

It's hard not to be amazed by such beauty! I am so used to seeing Dunlins in flocks of hundreds and thousands in their non-breeding/winter plumage, that to encounter a solitary member of this sandpiper species is a bit puzzling. S/he was in full breeding regalia, and in no particular hurry to fly north for the summer.

We almost missed seeing this peep--so intent on photographing the 20 Greater Scaups much further out from shore--that it was many moments before I realized that this Dunlin was quite calmly "pacing" us some 6-8 feet away on the shoreline!

Being in such close proximity to this beauty enabled me to get a good look at that black belly patch and the wonderful russet brown feathers on its head and back!

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature