Ringed Plover
I was amazed yesterday when, at the Wryneck twitch, John Blenham told me of an incredibly out of place bird that he had found at his patch, Epsom Downs. This is only a mile or so west from Canons Farm and is in common with my patch in its lack of water.
This evening, after family dinner I was watching John's juvenile Ringed Plover on a short gravel track just south of the grandstand at the racecourse. It was an obliging individual and was completely unoffended by my presence down to a ten foot range, it fell asleep at such proximity after a while! A Wheatear, equally relucant to move from its chosen feeding area, was close by. This plover probably wins the prize for my most bizarre sighting.
Wheatear at Canons Farm
There were four Wheatears present at Canons Farm this morning, one was particularly obliging and the light was just right so I got some reasonable pics.
