A Plover, a Grouse, and a chat.

Semipalmated Plover. Paul Baker.

Paul Baker is one of the most prolific wildlife photographers I know. Paul posts his photographs on his Flickr photostream on a near daily basis and I'm very lucky to have found him there and having contacted him he agreed to allow me to put his pictures on Birds2blog.

The Semipalmated Plover seen in this photograph is taken at Mud Bay, Delta, British Columbia, Canada in non-breeding plumage, in its breeding plumage it is very difficult to separate from our own Eurasian Ringed Plover. The species breeds in Canada and Alaska, and winters in the coastal areas of the USA to Patagonia. Many thanks for this Paul it is much appreciated.

 

Sooty Grouse. David Baker.

Paul's son David also takes excellent photographs on a regular basis and this one is of the Sooty Grouse taken at Mount Seymour, Deep Cove, British Columbia.  The Sooty Grouse is a forest dwelling bird which is so closely related to the Dusky Grouse that until recently there was serious debate as to whether or not they were a separate species. Thanks also to you for this David, much appreciated. 

Whinchat. Courtesy of Jorg Hempel. 

Nearer to home Phil Slade found a Whinchat today at Pilling Water and I recommend you visit Phil's website HERE to read about what he thought when he found this scarce if not rare summer visitor en-route to its wintering quarters in Central and Southern Africa. Even this late in the summer I still hope to find one or two of this smart little 'chat' as I did last year - all mid-September - with one seen from the Hawthornthwaite Fell access track starting at Marshaw, one on Newby Moor in N.Yorkshire, and one at Barbondale, all these birds were 1st winter birds.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!