August-September 2026 • Nebraskaland 27
Early in my career with Nebraskaland, I concealed myself under grass sheets
at a nearby farm pond in late June and was visited by a flock of incredibly
elegant American avocets (Recurvirostra americana). Dressed in their striking
breeding plumage, they entertained me at close range as they used their
upturned bills to stir the mud to reveal food. That shoot resulted in my first
cover image for a Nebraskaland calendar.
Some shorebirds are frequently encountered with little water in sight. Parts
of Nebraska serve as breeding grounds for North America's largest shorebird,
the long-billed curlew (Numenius americanus), which, with its unmistakable
snout, is always a pleasure to see on grasslands in spring. The upland sandpiper
(Bartramia longicauda) begs to be photographed as it's standing on fence posts
along county roads. And, it seems a person never has to go far to see a killdeer
(Charadrius vociferus) and hear its familiar, shrill call. This vocal plover hangs
out not only near water, but also in dry farm fields, golf courses, gravel roads
and parking lots.
Although this special order of birds can be easy to find, they face numerous
conservation challenges. Coastal development, climate change, human
disturbance, nest disruptions and the rise of recreational activities in breeding
areas are listed among the primary threats. A recent study shows that
populations of some shorebird species have declined by more than half in the
past three decades.
That's bad news for a person who gets the itch to photograph some birds in
late summer. Turning the tide on this shorebird population trend won't be easy,
but, similar to trudging through the mud in the dark to set up a blind in late
August, will certainly be worthwhile.
N
American avocets, with their attractive breeding plumage, gather at a Dawes County farm pond.
OPPOSITE LEFT: Morning light shines on a killdeer at Walgren Lake. The species is
encountered not only on shorelines, but also parking lots and other urban settings.
OPPOSITE RIGHT: An upland sandpiper stands on a T-post overlooking the
grasslands of northwestern Nebraska.
