Ring Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)

The ringed plover is a small, dumpy, short-legged wading bird. It is brownish grey above and whitish below. It has a orange bill, tipped with black, orange legs and a black-and-white pattern on its head and breast. In flight it shows a broad white wing-stripe. Breeds on beaches around the coast, but has also now breeding inland in sand and gravel pits and former industrial sites. Many UK birds live here all year round, but birds from Europe winter in Britain and birds from Greenland and Canada pass through on migration.  

The top image shows a coastal bird, which had nested on the beach near Bamburgh, Northumberland.                           Canon 30D, Canon 100-400mm lens.

The remaining images are of a bird which chose to nest further inland in an old sand quarry, in Weardale Co. Durham. I took the photographs from a hide however the birds were so confident I'm not sure if I really needed the hide. I happily saw all 4 eggs hatch and the chicks remained close to the nest site for a number of weeks before wandering further a field.  

Hide photography is a great way to achieve large close ups of all animals including birds, however there are some basic rules to stick to. Introduce the hide gradually to the subject, always have someone else walk you to and from the hide, keep all of you and your camera gear inside the hide etc. etc. However the most important thing to remember is that the welfare of the animal is more important than the photograph, if the bird is getting slightly worried about your hide, then remove it from the area and look for a different subject.

Another good tip is when photographing in areas where there is public access, it is likely that a beautifully made canvas hide will disappear if left unattended for a few days. If there is a chance of a hide being stolen, use a really scruffy makeshift affair made from old wooden poles and dirty hessian sacks. This also prevents people being attracted to the hide then discovering the nest site and causing even more problems for the subject.