American Avocet

This is an American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) from the Camas Prairie in Idaho last May. I didn't have a long lens with me, so this is a mega crop. I also didn't have a fast lens, so my shutter speed was too slow. At any rate, I managed to get something. There are so many beautiful birds to see there for how far north it is. I was totally amazed! I'd seen this and another in a zoo in a special display, so I felt particularly honored to have seen them up close in the wild.