Wintering Piping Plovers in Florida - where are they from?

I spent a few days visiting a good friend in North Fort Myers back in late January. While shorebirding on Bunche Beach in Lee County (Gulf Coast near Fort Myers), I noticed several flagged/banded Piping Plovers. I tried to record as many as I could, which ended up being seven birds. I was surprised to hear that all three of the breeding populations were represented in that flock.

Atlantic Coast - One from North Carolina, one from coastal Quebec, one from New Brunswick, and one from Prince Edward Island.

Great Lakes - One from Michigan, one from Ontario.

Northern Great Plains - One from Montana.

Not what I was expecting...not that I knew what to expect!

Not a Piping Plover. This is a Wilson's Plover that was cooperatively feeding in the wrack line at a nearby beach. There were several Wilson's at Bunche, too...but none were obviously banded.


 - NB

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