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Saturday 23 March 2013

First summer visitors arriving in the UK in Arctic conditions.

National reports tell us that among the other rare and unusual waders being seen are the first Little Ringed Plovers and Stone Curlews to arrive in the UK.

Little Ringed Plover, England 2012.
Can't say that I expect them to feel very welcome with all this snowy weather. I wouldn't be surprised if they thought they had overshot straight to the Arctic and so turn around and push off south again. I know I would if I had half a chance! Let's hope they survive, we're looking forward to seeing our first Stone Curlews for Wader Quest shortly, don't really want it to be in the snow!

Stone Curlew, England 2012.
The other bird that we are awaiting to see with bated breath is the Eurasian Dotterel, these little beauties will be coming through southern England shortly and we hope to catch up with some when they do. We don't have any of our own photographs of this species, so we'll be hoping to put that right too. We were hoping to have a trip to southern Spain during the winter to see them, but events overtook us. If we don't get them this spring, or get up to Cairngorm in the summer, we can always hope for another chance next winter in sunny Spain. I feel a plan coming on.


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