Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Like Peanut Butter and Sardines


The dream I had just before awakening this morning might have received a PG-13 rating had it been on a screen. Amidst the backdrop of a tawdry, soap-opera-esque, melodrama was a scene or two devoted to birds.



"Mongolian"/Lesser Sand-Plover (Charadrius mongolus)
Photo Copyright - KK Hui


Greater Sand-Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii)
Photo Copyright 2004 - Graham Catley


This dream contained photos of birds - yet another first for me. Somehow, I had aquired four or five polaroids featuring two species between them. Unfortunately, they were wanting for quality - so the IDs were up in the air. One appeared to be either a "Mongolian"/Lesser Sand-Plover, or a Greater Sand-Plover. Again, it was a fairly poor photo. The second species was also a plover, hunkered down in sand or mud. It appeared to be one of the smaller species sporting a single complete band around the upper breast. Wilson's Plover, Collared Plover and Long-billed Plover are the most likely candidates. To be honest, I only have field experience with Wilson's and incidental book knowledge of Collared. Never heard of Long-billed before writing this post.


Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia)
Photo Copyright 2007 - Pascal Aleixandre




Collared Plover (Charadrius collaris)
Photo Copyright - Christian Artuso



Long-billed Plover (Charadrius placidus)
Photo Copyright 2002 - Dick Newell


Just before the dream ended, we passed a stock tank. Spotting a Killdeer, I attempted to point out some similarities and differences between it and the birds in the photos. Might as well have been with goats by the reaction - or lack of it. Did I mention most of the drama took place on a bus, or RV? Travelling this way is probably great in the real world, but I don't recommend it for dreambirding - especially when you're stuck with a group that could've been the rejects from the "Bad Girls Club", or "Rock of Love"... like peanut butter and sardines... *shudder*.



Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
Photo Copyright 2007 - Nick Kontonicolas



1 comment:

roamingbirder said...

Would you be willing to donate your Lesser Sand-Plover photo to
my free online Birds of Vancouver Island picasaweb.google.com/pat.mary.taylor
There is a chance it might be published in book form and you must be willing
to do so with this in mind without payment. Please write
pat.mary.taylor@gmail.com

Thank you

Keith Taylor
Victoria BC

 

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