Grey Plover (Pluvialis squataroloa)

You’ll hear a “puWEeeh” from this small bird. That’s only 28cm tall with a wingspan of 77cm. Which can be found along any muddy or sandy part of the coast, using its stubby bill to probe around in the substrate to find worms and shellfish. They need plenty of space in which to feed as they are quite an alert bird often seen scampering around before looking for food. You need to stay at least 70 metres away from this bird, as they are the among the first to take flight. 

Welcome the grey plover with Добро пожаловать! (Dobro požalovat'!) as it arrives from Russia, Norway, Sweden, and Finland in October. And Пока! (Poka!) when it leaves in April. 

A group of grey plovers is called a ponderance. And 70,000 of them stop off for a quick break before continuing on to as far as West Africa and 43,000 stay in the UK throughout the winter. During the summer all grey plovers are on the arctic tundra. But in the winter they migrate across six different continents. 

The grey plover is protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. And is on the red list.