American Avocet beauties!

American Avocets taking wing from the shores of Antelope Island Causeway

I've loved American Avocets since the first time I saw them at Malheur NWR in Oregon in my first year of birding.  I thought I saw a lot then, but that was nothing compared to what I've been seeing during spring and fall migration along Utah's Antelope Island Causeway.  Avocets numbing in the thousands!!!

A typical scene of American Avocets along the north shore of the Antelope Island Causway

This time of year, the Avocets mostly lack the rust colored heads and necks that make them especially stunning in the Spring.  But there's nothing wrong with monochromatic beauties either!

American Avocets during breeding season at Indian Creek east of Boise, Idaho

American Avocets and Willets during Spring migration along the Antelope Island Causeway

Range maps for your American Avocet edification are shown below.  The American Avocet is mostly a western North America species, but populations are regular along the southern coast.  Vagrancy in the east appears to be fairly common and probably a very exciting species to see for many when they appear.