American Avocet

Last year, when Tammy and I were in Utah, we visited Antelope Island State Park. Now I am back in Utah again for the ABA Convention, so I returned to Antelope Island yesterday to check out the birds. I posted a picture last year of an American Avocet, so this is not my first photograph of this species. But taking pictures in two different months of the year allows for a nice side-by-side comparison of the breeding and non-breeding plumage of American Avocet. Yesterday's photo (top) shows American Avocet in breeding plumage, with their neck and head having a nice rust color. Last year's September photo shows American Avocet in non-breeding plumage, with the rust color replaced by gray.