Sunday 7 June 2009

NOT A Suffolk tick!

A "burn" down the A12 (makes a change from the A47!) resulted in me visiting Felixstowe Ferry, in the company of Andrew & Rob, visiting Felixstowe Ferry in order to see a newly found American Golden Plover. We were told it was distant but when we eventually reached the spot, it was on the near muddy bank bordering the river giving reasonable views through the telescope. A 1st summer bird, it appeared to be an AGP because  compared to Golden Plover, it was a greyer bird lacking the goldish- buff tinge on the neck and breast and sporting a distinct wide whitish supercilium but still showing some golden plumage. The greyer part of the plumage was even more readily apparent when it walked in front of the blue keel of a moored boat nearby. Stucturally, compared to Golden Plover AGP's are slightly smaller, with a more attenuated rear end and are slightly longer legged, although these features were difficult to ascertain on this bird, (appearing the same size as a Golden Plover) as the only other waders present were Common Redshank. It spent some of its time with its feathers puffed out to insulate it from the biting east wind, making it look rather plump compared to an AGP. Again there are no pictures because it wasn't that close and we observed the bird quite poorly in very windy conditions.
POSTSCRIPT Having seen photo's of this bird, I am now not convinced and have come to the conclusion it is a grey 1st year Golden Plover, I'll have to wait a little longer to add AGP to my
Suffolk list! 
An excellent Yellow Wagtail called and flew past as we walked back.

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