Beyond Bounds: American Avocets

American Avocets at Bombay Hook (photo by Kim Steininger)
Now that I’ve been writing this blog for more than two years (time flies!) I’ve accumulated a stockpile of photos from friends.  Many of the pictures are stunning but I never get a chance to use them when I write about local birds in season.  So I have a plan.

Today I’m starting a weekly series for this winter that I’m calling Beyond Bounds, a celebration of superior photos of birds that you won’t find in southwestern Pennsylvania.  

American avocets lead the list.  The Pittsburgh area is rarely graced by the visit of a single avocet and we never see flocks like this.  Kim Steininger captured these at Bombay Hook, Delaware. 

Aren’t their patterns cool?  Yes, beyond bounds.

(photo by Kim Steininger)

5 thoughts on “Beyond Bounds: American Avocets

  1. “Avocet?” Sounds French for “Advocate?” If I were near my dictionary, I’d check word origins. Are they called that because they look like lawyers in full British regalia?

    Anne

  2. Actually there is a pied avocet in Europe, Recurvirostra avosetta. They were probably first named by the Italians. The French spelled it avocette and pronounced the ‘c’ like an ‘s.’ The original Italian word is listed as “origin unknown” as far as I can find.

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