Christine's walking & birds blog

It was about time for a visit to Achnahaird - and yet another windy walk across the beach and the machair. I'd seen the report of a buff-breasted sandpiper a few days ago and wondered if it would still be there. I didn't see it, but I did spot a distant, rather grey-looking plover which I then lost. A bit later, a plover (can't be sure it's the same bird) flew past with four dunlins and landed at the edge of the river.




There seemed to be yellowish tints like a golden plover when the sun was out, but the bulky build and the thickish bill are good for grey plover. This poor pic caught the wings being lifted slightly to reveal a white rump, which again suggests grey rather than golden plover.


An unfamiliar, attractive three-syllable call as the waders relocated to the river bank was music to my ears and also points to grey plover - but I failed to see, in the short time it was in flight, if the plover had the requisite black axillaries. This was my first grey plover in Scotland.