Kentish plover, Audenshaw Reservoirs

There was a wonderful male Kentish plover at Audenshaw reservoirs this evening, only my fourth ever in the UK. Previous birds were at Arnold's marsh, Cley (1983), Hickling Broad (1987) and the returning wintering bird at Fleetwood / Knott  End which I saw three times between 1993 and 1996. All of the previous birds were females, so this was my first male in the UK.

It was a fair trek from where we parked the car to the far side of reservoir 3, probably a good 20 minute walk at a decent pace, and when we joined the small group of watching birders, the plover was about 100m away. However it was walking towards us in that stop/start way that ringed plovers have and eventually it walked right up to us. By this time the light was beginning to go, but it was still a great close view of a stunning little bird.

Also this evening two little ringed plover.

Year: 206 (Kentish plover + greenshank and swift in South Wales on Saturday).