Birdwatch: in spring, the unshowy grey plover undergoes a transformation

A ny bird with “grey” in its name is not likely to make the average birder quiver with excitement. And it is true that in winter, when grey plovers visit our shores from the high Arctic, they are easy to overlook, especially among the spectacular flocks of lapwings, golden plovers and avocets on my Somerset coastal patch. Stout and unassuming, grey plovers usually lurk on the edge of the mud beneath the sea wall, patiently picking off shellfish and marine worms with their short bills.

Only when they take to the wing do they reveal a dark black “armpit”, contrasting with their pale underwings – a useful field mark that helps distinguish them from their close relative the golden plover. But in spring, grey plovers undergo a remarkable makeover , transforming themselves into one of the world’s most striking and beautiful waders. Heading north to nest on the polar tundra, they moult into their breeding plumage: their jet-black faces, breasts and bellies contrasting with their silvery upper parts and white foreheads – hence the North American name for the species, the black-bellied plover.



I’ve only come across this plumage once in Britain: one May back in my early years as a birder, at Staines reservoirs on the outskirts of London. But one day, I plan to head north and enjoy watching this stunning bird where it really belongs..