Grasp a golden opportunity
A reliable source had told me that golden plover by the hundred had been seen along the coast. Driven southwards on swirling gales, the little birds had been carried on the spume and spray of the angry Atlantic. Essex creeks were providing temporary shelter. I was determined to see them and perhaps take a brace for the pot while the wildest of northerlies raged. But would the weekend be soon enough or would I miss the chance?
, the genus name for golden plover, offers a hint at the character of this evocative bird. comes from , meaning rain; means to bask in the sun. The paradox of sun-kissed rain seems appropriate for the golden-flecked wings of birds that appear on our shores as winter approaches. In Iceland, the golden plover is to the seasons what the
