Up to Cumbria for a School Reunion and a White-tailed Plover En-route.

Thursday 30th September 2021

Blacktoft Sands RSPB, Yorkshire

I attended  my old school reunion bash in Workington, on Friday.  Travelling up on Thursday gave me the chance to twitch the White-tailed Lapwing (Plover) at Blacktoft Sands RSPB in Yorkshire.  Lucky for me, the bird was still around - well over a month after the first sighting on 26th August!  

• The lapwing was showing well from the First Hide as I arrived around 16.00 hours. Thankfully, there were only 2 birders present - a far cry from the 4000+  this rarity had already attracted to the reserve. 

courtesy of Martin Roper and Twitter

courtesy of Sean Moore and Facebook

courtesy of Whitfield Benson and Facebook

Unfortunately I could only stay for 20 minutes and had no time to look for other species or go around this lovely reserve close to the southern banks of the Humber.  I needed to get to Cumbria - still almost 180 miles away and I also desperately needed to fill up with petrol to ensure I could get back to Sussex on Saturday.

• This particular bird has affectionately  been named Larry the Lapwing.
• It is a native of southern Russia and the Middle East and so an ultra rarity in the UK.  
• To date there have only been 8 sightings, the last one being a very brief sighting at Stodmarsh NNR in Kent on 2nd June this year.  Prior to this you have to go back 11 years to get the last record here in the UK.
• It's also a first for Yorkshire.

My fifth new bird in the UK this year!