American Golden Plover
Pluvialis dominica

1/3200s at f5.6, ISO:800, Nikon D300 w 5000mm and 1.4X extender


"American Golden Plover," Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica) is a medium-sized plover.The breeding habitat of American Golden Plover is Arctic tundra from northern Canada and Alaska. They nest on the ground in a dry open area. They are migratory and winter in southern South America. They follow an elliptical migration path; northbound birds pass through Central America about January–April and stage in great numbers in places like Illinois before their final push north. In fall, they take a more easterly route, flying mostly over the western Atlantic and Caribbean Sea to the wintering grounds in Patagonia. The bird has one of the longest known migratory routes of over 25,000 miles. Of this, 2,400 miles is over open ocean where it cannot stop to feed or drink. It does this from body fat stores that it stocks up on prior to the flight. It is a regular vagrant to western Europe.
Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada
 
07/03/2011