Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) in summer plummage |
So, in these facts I will be repeating a lot of them but it was 101 days ago, so you might have forgotten them:
- Now the only real difference between their Summer and Winter plumage is that they have a black front, also their head turns to a tanned colour.
Here's the winter plummage - ironic that the
winter day was much brighter than the summer day
that I spotted this bird on!
- They have only one similar bird, the Golden Plover, I don't see why its called a Golden Plover but the Juvenile has a sort of Golden tinge to it.
- They only seem to Winter in the UK and pass through in the Spring so seeing them in the Summer isn't a very common sight.
- They spend their Winter around the Coasts of most of the UK apart from Northern Scotland and North -Eastern Ireland.
- There are about 43,000 Wintering birds and a quite large amount of birds, around 70,000, pass through in the Spring.
- They are an Amber Status bird as they are a 'Localised Breeding population' and because they are 'an important Non-Breeding population'.
Looking out for prey |
- They first breed at 2 years and live for an incredible-ish 9 years. The oldest though, was 25 years 1 month and 18 days.
- They are 28cm long with a 77cm wingspan but only weigh around one quarter of a kilo.
- Their diet changes with the seasons in the Summer they eat a lot of invertebrates but in the Winter this changes to marine worms, molluscs and crustaceans.
- It finds its food by standing still and watching, running to peck the prey it's spied then standing still again.
Spotted and moving in for the peck! |
- There is a bit of folklore about these birds too. It's meant to be bad luck if you see seven of them at once 'an ill omen' apparently and if you see the first one in Spring without any money in your pocket it will be a hard year ahead!
That's a little bit about these lovely birds, if you want to find out more try these sites:
Hope you enjoyed,
Z.
I love, love, love that second shot - lovely! - Tasha
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