Spotted sandpiper at Swan Lake, Kelowna


Spotted sandpiper surrounded by flying midges

I saw a pair of spotted sandpipers this morning.  They seemed to be a bonded pair as I witnessed one of them bobbing and spreading its wings in what appeared to be a courtship dance.  I got some decent photos of one of them (above) and a set of images (below) of it finding, catching, and eating a relatively large insect.

Spotted sandpiper finding, catching, and eating an aquatic insect.

I mostly see spotted sandpipers by themselves, although I have seen them with a chick.  This is the first time I have seen them together as a pair.  It is interesting that the males tend the nest while the females are protectors of the territory.  The females may breed with more than one male.  The females are also the ones that engage in courtship behaviour, not the males.  

Thanks for reading.     www.ericspix.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Harjit Bahia - Science teacher and colleague from Garibaldi died August 2, 2024

Image
You will be missed Mr. Bahia.  You made a difference and we are sad you are gone. I keep in loose contact with my fellow retired teachers from Garibaldi Secondary School.  I talked with my long-time friend, Mike Lynch, today, and discovered that Hargit died over the summer.  Unbeknownst to him, he had an underlying heart condition and passed away after working out on his treadmill.  The date was August 2, 2024. I was shocked to hear this.  He was only 49 years old, turning 50 some 3 months later.  It was a shock to everyone, for he was loved by all who knew him.  As a teacher, Mr. Bahia was kind and fun.  He contributed to students in many ways and was always available to help those in need.   For myself, I knew him as a fellow science teacher and taught in the adjoining room to him.  He was always available to help, share ideas, and work together.  Easy to approach, I found that I could talk to him about anything and appreciat...
Read more

My longsuffering search for the Western Meadowlark

Image
Am I going to disturb a species I am photographing enough to negatively affect its relationship with the ecosystem?  This is an important ethical question that needs to be asked when looking to photograph a particular species.  And it's one that I don't think we do nearly often enough. I recognize the desire to capture remarkable images; I have been in search of premium photos the bulk of my adult life.  There is the personal connection - just the joy associated with doing something well and the praise we seek when others recognize it.  There is the professional connection - doing something as part of a job, assignment, or class.  Then there is the financial connection - the hope to win a contest, publish an image, or sell prints.   These are all worthy goals in their own right, but none of them should be the reason behind disturbing a species, especially ones that are endangered or are at a critical period in their life cycle.  Essentially it boi...
Read more

Baseball invented in Polynesia - who knew?

Image
Lori with the first known baseball (left) and a Polynesian warrior (right) When the Polynesians arrived in Hawaii around 1200 AD, little did they know that they would soon be credited with the invention of baseball.   Besides chickens, the natives brought breadfruit plants with them.  The fruit grows to be quite large, up to 6 kg, but harvested early, the small fruit is hard and fits conveniently in your hand.  This was only one component of what was needed to complete the tools needed for the sport. The second component was, of course, the bat.  The Polynesian boy is shown holding a traditional  Niho Lei-o-Mano war club carved from Kao trees.  Popular for its ability to dissuade uninvited suitors from visiting daughters, it also had the ability to launch a hand-sized breadfruit a considerable distance.  It didn't take long before the breadfruit (bf) ball and club bat became well acquainted. Catching the bf ball was somewhat difficult; the course...
Read more