Its been a long 34 years since I saw my last Greater Sand Plover in Britain on Walney Island, Cumbria (or Lancashire, if I prefer) So, when one was found on Redcar beach last night around 7-30pm, I alerted a few of my rare bird enthusiast friends. This bird is probably the same bird seen last week in Aberdeenshire, now making its way south hopefully finding its way back into the Middle East for the winter. First thing this morning a message to tell us that the plover was still present. Just me and Kevin C, who was suffering from a slight over indulgence, left Castleton around 8-30am. We headed along the M62 unhindered, apart from the unusual road works (never see anybody working there) near Leeds. Onto the A1 and then the A19 towards Redcar/Teeside, news was that the bird was still present was well received. Parking on the Prom in Redcar, about 50 birders were spread out on the seaweed strewn shore. Grabbing our gear we headed to see the gorgeously plumaged adult male Greater Sand Plover. It was feeding in amongst the seaweed and rocks as the tide was out and finding plenty of prey items to build itself up for the long journey south. At about 25 yards distance the bird showed itself to the admiring audience, other waders seen: - Sanderling (some in almost full breeding plumage) Turnstone, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher and Curlew. We enjoyed the birds feeding, resting until the tide began to start coming in. It was hard to leave the spectacle and the seaweed, complete with its own smell. We began the journey home just before noon and hoped the traffic would be kind, but as lots of Jolly holiday makers had joined the throng on the A19/A1 junction. The result was stop start traffic from Wetherby until after Huddersfield, what a slog, we got back around 2-45pm. It was worth it really!
