cloudwalker Posted March 22, 2015 Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 We were out yesterday in Beds on some barley spring drillings. Not many pigeon about but all of a sudden i spotted a large flock of birds approaching the field. From a distance they looked like pigeon but they weren't flying right. They were swooping about like a large mass of starlings in the autumn. One large mass all flying in unison. As they flew over me they looked about the same size as a pigeon but with swept back wings, like a swift. Eventually they landed on mass and started to feed. Even the odd shot didn't seem to bother them. They lifted and circled the field and dropped down again. I think they were some sort of wader but can't work out what they would be in the middle of Bedfordshire. Any ideas on what they were? There must of been between 500- 700 in the flock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted March 22, 2015 Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 Golden Plover without a doubt. They will be heading North in the next week or so. You were lucky to see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruity Posted March 22, 2015 Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) Sounds a bit like lapwings possibly? What colour body Not lapwings then , golden plovers lol Edited March 22, 2015 by fruity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuy Posted March 22, 2015 Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 Golden plover for sure, a good spot indeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted March 22, 2015 Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 My first thought was fieldfare until I read the wader bit. I'd agree, golden plover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudwalker Posted March 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 Have to say they were so amazing in there flight I was mesmerized. Spent so long watching them I missed several woodies coming in to the decoys!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudwalker Posted March 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 Golden Plover without a doubt. They will be heading North in the next week or so. You were lucky to see them. Where were they coming from and where were they going to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted March 22, 2015 Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 Golden plover spend winters all over the south of England. I usually see the first ones in October and I know very well the locations of several large resident flocks from October to the end of March. Whether they go off the Northern Europe and Scandinavia I cannot say but many migrate to the uplands, that is the Pennines, The Borders and Scotland to breed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEADLY PLUMBER Posted March 22, 2015 Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 I've seen them many times over the years. Never up close and always on the wing. Always up high great to watch. Always wondered what bird they were. Golden Plover for me. Just had a look at some pictures. Good thread. Cloudwalker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Essex Keeper Posted March 23, 2015 Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/g/goldenplover/ Had a lot on my shoot on Saturday heading north Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wilksy Posted March 23, 2015 Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 I saw a flock today driving back from driffield I wouldn't have had a clue what they were if I hadn't read this thread,great stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted March 23, 2015 Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 Golden plover without a doubt . I have been shooting my friends farms for the past 40 years . We have one field that a huge flock of golden plovers visit every year in October.I have watched them over the years and have spent many an hour sitting in the truck drinking coffee and studying these lovely birds and no ,they have never been shot at . Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEADLY PLUMBER Posted March 23, 2015 Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 Just seen a flock of about 50 this eve. They got up off a field at dusk. 6.30 ish. What a coincidence as this thread got raised yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudwalker Posted March 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 Went back to the same field today and saw another bunch. This time they didn't stop they were just heading North. Thanks everyone for identification!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Columba Grey Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 Sounds like ringed plover. A common enough site on ploughed and drilled fields Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted March 25, 2015 Report Share Posted March 25, 2015 Yes, a common sight along our local river valley, (the Ver, near St Albans). Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted March 26, 2015 Report Share Posted March 26, 2015 (edited) Columba Grey, ringed plover are mainly coastal marsh and beach birds and apart from a few fields next to the sea where they may form a high tide roost not a common sight inland and certantly not in the numbers cloud walker is talking about. His birds are almost certantly golden plover , a bird that can be very common inland. I often get in excess of a thousand birds on my shoot. Edited March 26, 2015 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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