White Tailed Plover Dungeness.Kent.
July 2010.
I was on the road at 03:20 heading for Dungeness with the prospect of a meeting with a 'long legged beauty' from afar, and the wife was ok with that!, so things were looking good. But I had been ' dumped ' by the same beauty some days earlier at Rainham Marshes and a few years ago in Lancashire so I was a tad nervous to say the least.But my visit was a success to my delight.
I arrived at 05:40 and at first there was no sign and with just myself looking I was a bit apprehensive to say the least. But I then picked out "The Plover" and although distant I had now bagged my beauty. The next 9 and a half hours were spent trying to obtain a record image to take home. What with the fact that looking into the sun and the heat haze and the general elusiveness of the bird to task with was time consuming, it finally gave itself up for a few shots. And an extreme sunburn to my head to boot, but what the heck I should grow my hair longer.
The plover spent a lot of time hidden on the small scrapes amongst the purple loose strife and vegetation and would sit on the shingle for an hour or more at times, but gave views to everyone when it moved and fed. It truly blended in when sat down too and most had to scope it to justify its presence. But some very good company was to be had whilst we waited for the next showing.
This sequence of shots show the bird as it exercised its wings with a flapping flight on the spot trying to imitate a harrier jump jet', it was a delicate looking bird indeed and those legs'... I left the site with my demons exorcised and a thumping headache and a celebratory cigar waiting upon my return home HAPPY.
