On the 17th the mega alert went of once again saying HAMPSHIRE - SEMILPALMATED PLOVER, HAYLING ISLAND but it flew of high north east so that problem had gone for now. Unfortunately it was re found the next day and stayed for about 3 hours so on Saturday Andrew Kinghorn picked me up at 05:30 and we maid the long trek down to Hayling Island. We got their for 10:50 and just as we got to the car park we saw a decent sized flock of ringed plovers fly over us and at the same time Andrew announced that the plover was still their so we ran down to the point to be told by Liam Langley that the Semi-p had flown of about 5 minutes before we arrived and just to top it of the Pallid Swift was re found at Hartlepool. In the previous two days the Plover was not seen again that day after it had flown of so our chances of seeing the bird had gone from low to extremely low, but all was not lost when someone announced that the Semipalmated Plover had been re found further around the island! We ran back to the car and followed everybody else to the sight and and their it was! A grotty 1st winter Semipalmated Plover, although it was absolutely dreadful it was a very interesting bird, it was clearly smaller than the surrounding ringed plovers with a Short stubby bill, pale upper wing coverts and on high magnification I could also see the pale wedge at the base of the lower mandible.
(Semipalmated Plover - Sam Viles)
(Semipalmated Plover - Harry Murphy)
I got back for about 18:45 and my extremely kind grandad took me to Hartlepool to see the Pallid Swift at roost on St Hilda's Church, when I got their it was pitch black and I could tell it was a Swift but that was all so I went back the next day and had brilliant views of it in good light so I was able to see the Scaly underparts, contrasting primaries, large white throat patch and dark mask around the eye. A good week with Isabelline Shrike, Siberian Stonechat, Cleveland's first Bonelli's Warbler, 4th Pallid Swift and Britain's 4th Semipalmated Plover.
(Pallid Swift - Martyn Sidwell)
(Pallid Swift - Martyn Sidwell)
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