As so often I have missed by 2 days a crucial ‘International Day of the… Whatever’. This time we are celebrating plovers. This group of little shorebirds is appreciated every September 16, and they are high up in my favourites list. Here are examples of the 6 species that you will find on Abaco. Of these, most significant are the piping plovers that chose Abaco beaches – more than 1000 miles from their home beaches in the north – as their migration destination for overwintering (in fact, they start to arrive from the end of July and have left by mid- March).
PLOVER GALLERY
PIPING PLOVER
WILSON’S PLOVER
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER
KILLDEER
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER
PIPING PLOVERS
These rare little birds were the subject of a 5-year citizen science project on Abaco involving tracking banded birds sighted on Abaco beaches and tracing their origins to their home beach where the birds had hatched and and fledged. Much remarkable data was recorded, not least that many of the birds made the same journey from their home beach to Abaco and back in the spring 2, 3 and even 4 years running. Each time and at each end of the migration, they chose the same beach. Often the dates almost matched as well. You can find out more HERE
ROLLING HARBOUR ABACO 
🙂 what delicate birds, I have seen killdeer in the plains of the mid west (US) they fake being wounded to distract predators from their nest ❗️ Thanks for sharing
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Watching that distraction behaviour – not confined to plovers – is an amazing sight… but I have always tried to avoid causing it to happen!
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Oops. Auto-correct fears it’s head once again. That would be Plovers and not Olivers! My bad.
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But I like the sound of ‘Olivers’, small warblers whose plaintive self-referential ‘Oliver! Oliver!’ call can be heard on warm summer evenings if you have a large glass of wine in your hand…
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What a brilliant retort! The next new species discovered there must have Oliver in its name. 😊
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What a great compendium of Oliver’s and their portraits. I had no idea there were so many. I know we have Piping Plovers here but now feel compelled to learn if there are any others. Best, Babsje
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They are such lovely birdies!
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