American Golden Plover, Kilnsea, East Yorkshire - Saturday 25th October 2015

An American Golden Plover at Kilnsea, just north of Spurn Point, stayed long enough for me to find a free morning to go and check it out. AGP is a bit of a bogey bird for me, having missed/dipped quite a few (including at least one on the Shetland Islands earlier in the month), and I thought I would miss the opportunity for this one too. In fact, at the time of writing - 4th November - it's being reported as still present.

On arrival I headed for the hide at Kilnsea Wetlands, as this is where the bird had been reported most in the previous few days. It didn't take long to pick out - mainly because, much to my surprise, it was the only Golden Plover species present. It was sat on the shore with around c60 Lapwings, amongst the Wigeon and Greylags and Brent Geese.

American Golden Plover, Kilnsea, East Yorkshire - Saturday 25th October 2015

Through binoculars the face looked pale, and the eye an isolated blob. The overall plumage was paler and colder than any European Golden Plover I'd seen. As soon as my scope was on it the bird stretched, lifting it's wings to reveal the dark grey underwings. Unfortunately it flew off after I'd taken only a couple of record shots, and before I could go round to the side screen to get a closer view.

I walked around the eastern bank, by Beacon Ponds, as a Short-eared Owl hunted over the fields. Another birder had just picked it up distantly in the field to the north. I headed round to get a better view, as a large skein of Pink-footed Geese headed south high overhead.

The bird was feeding in an arable field around 50 metres from the road - just out of range of my camera for a good photo. But the pale throat, breast and face were very obvious, and the long, wide supercilium, creating the appearance of a small dark cap. Out in the open, the neck and legs now looked longer than European Golden Plover. Side on, the bird was obviously much more attenuated, because by the longer wings.

American Golden Plover, Kilnsea, East Yorkshire - Saturday 25th October 2015

A nice morning's birding, and another tick too. BOU list now up to 387.

Roe Deer, Kilnsea, East Yorkshire - Saturday 25th October 2015