![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkcrkBurU5_Mq4QiIjM9f3VN5TAViBSg46ho_IXJ19rFi8Utb2cVKU3TQHz2RCuNEkHWImv2CJodLz9MLor6ZhSUJD4RuVTwTD4OEQCderb5yiLjiDDKdX6T6D1O0U40D73fQ7E31pkrM/s280/LngbilledDowitchers-BIF,-Ri.jpg) |
A deluge of Long-billed Dowitchers descending upon the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch, Gilbert, AZ, 4/12/2012. |
I just returned from my Spring Break vacation from Southeastern Arizona, where I did a week of birding. I happened to make another visit to the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert, and there were literally hundreds of Long-billed Dowitchers in several of the ponds. I was in the right place at the right time when a good-sized arial display of Dowitchers flew towards me and landed in the shallow water directly in front of me. I loved how the Dowitchers and their reflections in the water created a sort of a collage of images (Above). At the time, I wished I had my 24-55mm lens on my Canon Rebel (T1i) so I could have had more of the birds in focus; however, with my 150-500mm Sigma zoom on, the narrow field of focus from that lens only captured a couple of the BIFs, and the rest were out of focus. But now I really like how the blurry birds give a nice effect of motion. In addition, they mixed in nicely with their water reflections which were already soft. This might make a good jigsaw puzzle photo. The entire occurrence was much more impressive live. As a photo can only capture the essence of the event.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTciIw96y95MyLQ2kRa-Mbo1ouMno7ab9n8MBnmB2_fDltNwAvW53MzyEWd-tyC-C5xPLAOQFBQ7HpB5KgtI6dnJl8cNUwqlhQka9skduFkDcIZfCiZ-9ddLcMPpswIo2yViAuHEIA8zr3/s280/BIF-Long-Billed-Dowitchers,.jpg) |
In coming... Dowitchers ...
Riparian Preserve, Gilbert, AZ, 4/12/2012. |
This is good timing from my yesterday's post about these Dowitchers, so I can now display photos of what these Sandpipers look like in their breeding plumage (more photos below)...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqZCXlrfId9kvx_KRd0fcqnVXm8UvizZxFpeYitz92RsJcBWzwPTVSw1rnjS8EeM5v_q2jp-UDLoLfTVwVp0raWrDgZUsLeYw6ce5_tNLk4i0b71Fb5tU9crveUwjYZd7moy0TfHuf_3p/s280/Lngbilled-Dowitchersjpg.jpg) |
Long-billed Dowitchers making land fall, Riparian Preserve, Gilbert, AZ, 4/12/2012. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKAQFKrJUCTLTwlVFHvn2r6YzNmhkBTxH4yXdtP0kDeAIkOTyp0x9s2jx1LDkWSM6QVc0FVoEQ_8iCTET92UTAcM0tpAG0RZbdj-IkBSIdgtwJemVHVqsptgIF2sodm8Vk9kKllI9qgPO/s280/Long-billed-Dowitchers,4-12.jpg) |
A good look at the Long-billed Dowitchers' breeding plumage, Riparian Preserve, Gilbert, AZ, 4/12/2012. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuz-bXe4OQwmK9IJ-LmjtvOONGlGekJrab0GV5W3yGZZXJ2yt9Q-pYTZKfzd8QHpwWqp5DyM5_f6si056tw5JfQz0OX88TiO2TCtW7JwPTwbRyU-FQowQhy5pXzkIvNEPwyU4uPerPY2n/s280/Long-billed-Dowitcher,RiPrs.jpg) |
A nice close up of a Long-billed Dowitcher's contrasting browns, creams, and black plumage, Riparian Preserve, Gilbert, AZ, 4/12/2012. |
As you can see, their plumage turns a nice rufous coloring (Above) - a big contrast to the drab gray of their non-breeding plumage (Below and see photos in my 4/13/2012 post)...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_V7dT5T82kxzTbnMxsCBZyiS5r7iln8rqjOHMCvIWXZba049ZpC6vr3rd3w73fhi04y0wfS1tlWVKBoslEdqScdryHk4QXMv2C6FCvM5MJbGu9XRddFVQP8_ffDpmd8lr1eEogHKbnlL/s280/Longbilled-Dowitcher.jpg) |
A Long-billed Dowitcher in its non-breeding plumage - white undersides instead of the rufous coloring, Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch, Gilbert, AZ, 12/26/2011. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqlX3SzxqAQTpwSa2pMUzXulYtizvXH_RThg_0dHA6lXEY0phcXv8_9YZhie57OB2mA7bWxAkXG-k2Unpx_w7RuubKE0ZjX6bxF-vXSwTK5hR42RuiC-0HL2OqSyAsS_22YPQSJ2DZLYw/s280/LongbilledDowitcher4-12.jpg) |
Another look at the rufous undersides of their breeding plumage, Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch, Gilbert, AZ, 4/12/2012. |
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