American Golden Plover

[Glen Moore]

I've just got back from Old Hall Marshes, Essex. It is an hour walk each way but worth it for a first for Essex. As usual the bird looks better in the field than in a photo!

[scampo]

Whew - a good job it was there after that treck, though. Nice shot.

[Jasonbirder]

You`re not wrong about the walk out...we arrived quite late yesterday and were concerned that the bird might fly out to feed as the late faded and so ran all the way toting scopes and tripods - we were a sight to behold when we finally arrived at the bird - rest assured it was a more lesiurely stroll back to the car!

It was a belter in the flesh though full black underneath and a lovely black and gold speckled above....

[Highway Man]

I'm amazed that this is a first for Essex. It must be just about the only county that has not previously recorded this species. Surely they have been overlooked in the past.

Mark

[Jasonbirder]

American Goldies do seem remarkably scarce on the East Coast - don`t know about Suffolk but the recent bird atBreydon Water (presumably the same individual as this bird) was only the 3rd ever record for Norfolk.

[Michael Frankis]

American Goldies do seem remarkably scarce on the East Coast - don`t know about Suffolk but the recent bird at Breydon Water (presumably the same individual as this bird) was only the 3rd ever record for Norfolk.
Five records for Northumbs, of which four coastal, one inland

Michael

[John N Murphy]

Hi Glen,

Nice to see pics of AGP from Essex.
Do you know how many AGP's have been seen in Britain so far this year?
I was just wondering have all these early Neacrtic waders turned up on what they call reverse migration from Siberia rather than across the North Atlantic.
Given that many of the Americans are on the eastern seabord of Britain.

Regards.

John.

B (:

[LAF]

Wow, saw one of the in Lincolnshire a few years back (1999 I think). Would never have known if it wasn't for about 50 birders surrounding the pratice range I'd been hoping to knock a few balls down at my local golf course. Needless to say, I swapped the irons for bins ;-)

Lee.