ML29758021
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age and sex
- Adult Female - X
- Sounds
- Call; Flight call
- Playback
- Playback not used
Media notes
Wav converted from XC MP3; will hunt for original .wav but think it is gone.
Observation details
Really amazing, and here 12 hours later I'm stunned at the entire encounter, and how it unfolded. With others carefully scanning either the gulls to the north, or the shorebirds accumulating to roost to the west, I was simply admiring the closest birds in binoculars while facing east or southeast. At some point I began to notice some odd-sounding mellow whistled calls from fairly high above. Marshall had already alerted the group to these calls and was on the bird in bins. He shouted out 'golden plover' and I assumed he had meant it was an AGPL. I was able to quickly get on the bird as it descended quite rapidly and headed for a spot on the beach, I could see it was an adult in fairly high plumage, and I'd never seen an AGPL in alternate. By this point there was a nagging voice in my head, trying to recall what was wrong. Eventually I landed on the fact that that call note was 'mellow' and definitely in no way 'urgent' or 'pleading' as I'd heard Tom Wetmore aptly describe the call of an American. Having never heard a PAGP in real life, I was nowhere near arriving at that conclusion when Marshall began urging everyone to get on the bird because it was in fact a PAGP. Even in binoculars from a distance of a couple hundred meters, it was obvious what the bird was once it had landed. The white along the sides extended too far an AGPL, and the generally lanky and tall posture ruled out EUGP. Scope views showed the short primary projection with a single primary past the tertials. The bird had a rather elegant upright posture, but was very skittish and agitated and gave a few false flights before taking off and flying rather low between us and the ocean, giving just stunning views. It circled, calling, and about this time Ian and Jess were able to get on the bird as it flew more or less right over all of us, with dozens of photographs being taken at this time. At least 3 of us had our phones out, recording the calls as the bird flew overhead. Interestingly, the full long flight call was not given at this time, but some shorter, more clipped chip-type notes. (A set of these recordings will likely be made available. ) Within another 30 seconds or so the bird took off to the south or southwest and disappeared. What would otherwise have been a wonderful evening of birding turned into an epic evening by the presence of a bird that lingered for only 5 minutes. It really made me wonder how often a megararity like this shows up in a spot devoid of birders and moves on without being recognized. Photos by Ian below:
Technical information
- Recorder
- Microphone
- Accessories
- Original file size
- 1.38 MB