GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist and her five parrots are currently relocating to Germany, where she will continue writing her blog while also writing a book and learning German. (Meanwhile, her parrots will continue to nibble on her extensive personal library.) If you appreciate GrrlScientist's writing, you can help pay her living expenses by hiring her to "blog" your conference, speak at your club or write articles for your publication (or by clicking on the Paypal button below). If you read an essay on this blog that you especially enjoyed, please nominate it for inclusion in 
tags: Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus, birds, nature, Image of the Day
I love shorebirds, and I miss seeing them every year. Besides being beautiful to look at and fascinating to watch, shorebirds remind me of my travels to Japan, where I saw 17 new species of birds (all shorebirds, and all in breeding plumage) in ONE DAY! Needless to say, I nearly died from joy on that particular day. When I lived in Seattle, I also spent a tremendous amount of time birding at a variety of shorelines from British Columbia all the way down through California, and I also regularly visited several migrating long-billed curlews who refueled in a cattle pasture in central Washington state every springtime.
Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus at Bolivar Flats, Texas.
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 2 July 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/2000s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
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Comments
Wow--awesome photo! Pure beauty! Thanks to Joseph Kennedy from Texas for the beautiful photo and also thanks to you, Devorah, for your wonderful blog!
Posted by: Jeanette | July 8, 2008 3:34 PM
Wow indeed.
Posted by: The Ridger | July 8, 2008 4:09 PM
=grin= How could anyone not love a bird with a name like "Whimbrel"?
Posted by: themadlolscientist | July 8, 2008 5:48 PM
Do you spend any time down at Jamaica Bay?
Posted by: Nick | July 8, 2008 6:05 PM
Your statement that you "miss seeing shorebirds every year," is very puzzling. According to your blog, you live in New York City and spend time in a tree in Central Park. If you will look at a map of the area, you will see that the City is located on the Atlantic coast where shorebirds are present most of the year.
Posted by: Nellie Larsen | July 8, 2008 8:55 PM
i don't go to jamaica bay because of time and financial constraints.
Posted by: "GrrlScientist" | July 9, 2008 12:41 AM