Puff Ball -- Western Snowy Plover at Morro Strand State Beach, Morro Bay, California Spiral Notebook

The Snowy Plover is a small shorebird about 6-inches long. They can be found on all continents except Australia and Antarctica. In North America it can be found along the Pacific and Gulf coasts and scattered throughout the western inland United States, up into Saskatchewan, Canada, and south into Mexico. Young Snowy Plovers leave their nests quickly, usually within three hours of hatching. The oldest on record was at least 15 years old (when it was identified by its band, not when it left the nest!)

In the United States, the Pacific Coast population is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

I have been photographing the things I see for over thirty years. A resident of San Luis Obispo County, I'm lucky to have many excellent photo destinations within a few minutes' or hours' drive. Beyond the local area, I have traveled throughout California and the western United States, visited far away American destinations such as Chicago, New York, Florida, and Alaska, and international destinations in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. My photography varies from Architecture to Industrial Art to Nature to Wildlife and I'm sure you'll find something suitable for your home or office. Visit my blog