Dotterel at Abbeystead, Lancashire

April 24, 2010:
The Dotterel, first reported near Abbeystead on Thursday, was still there today (Saturday).



It was in an upland sheep pasture and about 50 metres from the side of a country road amongst a flock of approximately 45 Golden Plovers. Even with a scope and at such a relatively short distance, it was often difficult to locate as it was mixed in with the plovers and kept low down in the grass, sometimes sleeping. All this made photgraphy difficult. On the occasional movement of the plovers, the passage of a Buzzard overhead, or the approach of a sheep, it would raise itself slightly, walk about briefly and for a short while be more visible. Lapwings and Meadow Pipits were also close by.







Whoever first spotted it from the roadside must have been very sharp-eyed!