On a recent group bird walk in Harrier Meadow, we spotted some Semipalmated Plovers (as opposed to semipalmating some Spotted Plovers).
This raised two basic questions: What the heck does "semipalmated" mean, and how do you pronounce "plover"?
Click "Continue reading…" for the surprising answers.
"Semipalmated" basically means "semi-webbed." (Thanks to Dave Hall of BCAS for explaining this at our "Birding for Beginners" course ) earlier this year. Link to the definition is here.
And does "Plover" rhyme with "lover" or "Dover"? The answer is yes. (It appears both are acceptable.) Here's a link.
More on the bird itself here.