Yesterdays Ringed Plovers were actually
Little Ringed Plovers.
Picked out by MC even on these poor distant shots
A text from Mick Cunningham pointed out that the 2 Plovers I got yesterday at Fly Flatts were in fact Little Ringed Plover, which were much better birds to turn up at Fly Flatts than the suspected Ringed Plover.
Mick picked these out by no pale supercilium behind the eye, long legs and long rear end. which is amazing going by the photos he had to work off. With the poor images and no chance of seeing a yellow eye ring I went for the commoner option of Ringed Plover which I get regular at this site.
MC has amazing patience and a sharp eye for detail, closely seconded locally by his brother Phil and the late great Tony Gough. Tony was renowned for not only identifying a distant raptor but also giving you the sex and age of the bird. They don,t make them like that anymore.
Annoyingly I checked the supercilium on the Green Sandpiper to see that it stopped at the eye which ruled out Wood Sandpiper, (dream on), yet never gave the 'super' a thought on the Plovers.
A very disappointing morning at Fly Flatts this morning, as expected, with hot wall to wall sunshine, clear blue sky and very little SW breeze at a temp of 18 degrees early morn and soon reaching 24 degrees as I left mid morning.
A warm walk along the west bank to the north end produced nothing but a few Black Headed gulls and 2 LBBs which was not surprising in those conditions. Back at the south end a few Wheatear were on the shore whilst a single Willow Warbler was in the lagoon tree. Not a bird was seen in the clear blue skies.
No afternoon session today in the 26 degrees heat and tomorrow is forecast to be hotter still and zero wind in the morning.
BS