Long-billed Curlew

In Rockport, Texas, last March, a lone Long-billed Curlew bathed among the Laughing Gulls (see last post). When bathing, this large shorebird lowers itself into the water until the breast is wet. Then it dips head into the water and quivers its wings, like in the upper photo. Then the bird stands, shakes, and preens, like in the lower photo (Dugger and Dugger 2002).