Whitefish Point, MI. August 2026.
I realized I never shared this cutie. I went to Whitefish Point just to find this bird and I was amazed I found it in five minutes. This was the only one too. They’re a protected species so I kept my distance getting these. There were a ton of logs to hide behind.
This page explains the color coding system.
On a large bird like a goose, it’s possible to have bands with 3-4 character codes that can be read from a long distance with a decent telephoto lens or spotting scope. The piping plover is a small bird, so multiple colored bands are the easiest way to have a unique pattern an observer can read.
Well, I didn’t expect that! Many thanks for the insight.