Not exactly a Dot – 9th of July

I had not been back from Orkney 12 hours and I was out birding in Durham again! I was out to go and see the Dotterel, a bird in which I dipped at Danby Beacon last year when they were moving through the area. I arrived at Crimdon Dene and looked up and down and all over the beach; however we drew a blank on Dotterel. However we saw the usual Common, Arctic, and Little Terns which we kind of expected to see. So we left here and headed over the Castle Lake to have a look and see if we could see one of the Hobby’s that have been knocking about in that area, I can inform you that we left disappointed! However not at the fact the Dotterel had been seen at Crimdon Dene, so back to Crimdon it was.

We arrived at Crimdon and met up with a friend from the DBC, we walked down and were informed it was flushed up and had flown away! Drat! However me and my friend set our scopes up on a good vantage point and began to look around the area to see if we could see it. Then something caught my eye moving around in the shingle, “Ringed Plover” I thought to myself until I lifted my bins and looked at this stunning female Dotterel. I quickly got Joe onto the bird and I spent a good 30 minutes or so looking at it. What a fantastic looking bird, and it was very approachable. I got within about 20ft of it and it wasn't bothered at all.

Life List Updates
251 – Dotterel

Year List Updates
218 – Dotterel
219 – Green Sandpiper – on Wednesday of this week (14th).

(Dotterel - Andrew Kinghorn)