Winter Plumage Golden Plover
Charles F. Coffin (1835-1919)
Nantucket, MA, c. 1870
10 in. long
 
After the demise of the whaling economy in the 1860's, Nantucketers had to turn to other plentiful resources to survive.  Abundant with natural fields, which had been maintained and expanded for centuries by herds of sheep, provided premium foraging and rest for many species of shorebirds.  The golden plover was no exception.  It was one of the more plentiful species to have a brief stop over Nantucket.  It is said that when their flocks would arrive they would stretch for miles in the sky, teaming with tens of thousands of birds.
 
On their way North in the late Winter or very early Spring, most fly a more direct route to their Summer homes thus limiting the occurences of hunters encountering them on Nantucket in non-breeding plumage.  Ultimately limiting the need for decoys to match that plumage altogether.  
 
In some instances, juveniles would lag behind the fall migration.  In order for the hunter to better attract the juveniles, they would occasionally paint a white belly on the bottom of their Summer plumage plovers.  The decoy would work well for late arriving juveniles and early arriving plovers in the Spring.  These examples are relatively few in numbers. They have a the thin white coat on the belly which doesn't fully cover the black or the painted spots from the original belly paint.
 
The shorebird has a bone dry surface with thinly applied paint over a solid 3 piece classic body with tack eyes.
 
Condition:  Dry original surface with hunter white paint added to the belly.  Moderate rusting to tack eyes.  Chip out of underside of tail.
 
*List price is Check or Cash price.  Online payment purchases will have an additional 5% processing fee surcharge.  Please contact with any questions!  Thank you for your business!