Black-bellied Plover
Tierra Verde, Florida
A wash of cerulean blue surrounds a black-bellied plover in a shallow lagoon, on the sheltered side of a barrier island between the Florida peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico. These large shorebirds have one of the more remarkable plumage changes on the beach. For most of the year, they sport an unexciting mix of grey and brown, the same color scheme that earns this species the name "grey plover" in Europe. Springtime, however, sees all of that drab coat disappear entirely and swap over to a stunning black and white pattern. I spent several evenings either crouching or completely laying down flat in the mud and sand at one of the best places in Florida to photograph these birds, where they're uncharacteristically used to humans and frequent small tidal pools that can catch some gorgeous sunset light. I shot this image shortly before sunset, when the light was textbook golden and the water was reflecting deep blues from the sky.