Friday 8 October 2021

American Golden Plover, Dale airfield

After congratulating Andy on his find but having the slight disappointment that it may have moved on after Andy informed me it had flown off towards St Anns Head, I continued with my look around the airfield primarily hoping for a passerine after the Snow bunting and Richards pipit earlier in the week at Marloes and Skokholm. The runways only held Meadow pipits and 3 Wheatear and the scrub just ticking Robins and Stonechats. Skylark were on the move, with birds passing heading south. A Ringtail Hen harrier was nice, as it drifted east flushing a single Snipe. I thought I may as well have a look over the stony field more in hope for a bunting than any wader, so I was pleasantly surprised to see the juvenile AGP had returned. I was able to crouch down quietly beneath the rubble bank and watch through the scope for about an hour as it rooted out some quite large earthworms, eventually getting closer and closer to where I sat. Something alarmed it and it flew low to the far side of the field giving a shrill, high pitched klu-weeee before flying back to what seemed to be its preferred feeding area close to the bank where I was. Grid ref SM 79134 06668 and was still in the same area when I headed on my way.