Rockland St. Peter: Golden Plover on the move

At midday, out at the end of the garden, where the arable fields stretch away to the north, I fancied I could catch a distant piping or yodelling right at the edge of my hearing. I cupped my hands to concentrate the attenuated murmur and, after much straining, reluctantly concluded that I was just picking up a couple of very distant duelling Song Thrushes.

A full five minutes later, from high overhead came the instantly-recognisable mournful trisyllabic flight call of Golden Plover and, as I cocked my head, a good-sized flock of perhaps 150 birds flew SW over the house. Many of them retained the distinctive black underparts of their breeding plumage. Another sign of autumn, Golden Plover will soon be a common sight on the fields roundabout.