Greater Sand Plover (1 Viewer)

Thank God!!! A new bird at last! :bounce:

Arrived Snettisham at 4.30am. It was just getting light, so Sarah and I along with 2 fellow Mancs, Roger Horton and his mate Paul, walked down the beach and checked the waders by full moon light!

4.45am and we picked it up feeding quite distantly, but bad light couldn't disguise this beauty - stunning!

As it got lighter the Sand Plover got closer... and closer... and closer!

By full light he (it is a male) was within 10 metres and completely oblivious to our presence. No need to stalk as he just got closer and closer. Then he flew out and repeated the whole process again showing amazingly closely for the increasing group of twitchers.

ID was straightforward and I don't think that even the biggest of Lesser Sands could approach this one. Plenty of rusty orange in the upperparts as well. Big bill and restricted breast band point to maybe crassirostris...? Not sure about that though. Harry, Jane, Tim...? See the not too crap pics below that I hope show every feature.

Well that was good enough for us, so we went back to Manc at 8am, popping in to see the Montis Harriers at Frampton on the way back.

Pub now I reckon... B

u little twitcher, u

nice pix though Tom

4:30 in the morning - i remember those days........

many folk there?

would have been my third in Norfolk he says showing off a bit......

I like your style Tom - tomorrow before work is my only chance of seeing it...so that`ll be an early start too (was fretting a bit when it came up as flushed by a sparrowhawk - thankfully its back!)

Not too many people at 4.30 (!), but by the time we were leaving it was hotting up - 10-15 maybe!?! I know a ton of people got it yesterday. Many people actually needed it now that the Don Bridge one looks as though it was actually "mongolicus" Lesser.

At Frampton, there were lots of people on their way to Snettisham - kind of doing it the wrong way round...!

I am well and truly gripped off! Glad you liked seeing it though.

Greater Sandplover is a bird that makes me feel old, as it went on my British list in the late 1980s with the Walney bird. Would like to see a more colourful one though, like this bird.

Stephen.

Hi Tom,
Well done:had heard that this bird was still present today,and was sure that you would have connected!
Not sure as to racial ID,but I could buy it being crassirostris:that bill is very long!Also a bit better marked than most columbinus.
By the way,could you all please spare a thought before making comments about previous Greater or Lesser Sandplovers that you may have seen:neither species has been recorded in Ireland as yet!Only a matter of time,though....
Harry

Harry Hussey said:

By the way,could you all please spare a thought before making comments about previous Greater or Lesser Sandplovers that you may have seen:neither species has been recorded in Ireland as yet!Only a matter of time,though....
Harry

Click to expand...

Yes Harry, it must be terrible being a birder with an interest in shorebirds and living in Ireland.

Hi Stephen,
Not really!We do tend to get less Siberian/eastern waders,as is to be expected,but have been a few from that direction over the years,usually around this time of year!
American waders,however,are a different matter....
Harry

What a bummer. I was in Ramsgate when this came up and unable to go for it. Work and distance doesn't allow me to go for it in the week and this weekend there are plans that I doubt can be changed at this late date.

Would be an excellent lifer for me as well. Oh well!! That's life.

Great pics Tom and well done on getting there so early and connecting with the bird.

Nice pics Tom, very well captured, thanks , congrats on your stamina!