Rare Plover Swoops out of Africa
A bird which is rarer in Scotland than the Red Kite or the White
Tailed Sea Eagle has been spotted near Loch Leven.
Little Ringed Plovers have been seen at the RSPB Scotland's Vane Farm
Nature Reserve in Kinross.
The birds migrate annually out of Africa, over the Sahara and across
France.
Almost a thousand stop for the summer in England and Wales, but there
are thought to be only about 20 breeding pairs in Scotland.
Simon Bussutil, the RSPB's East Scotland reserves manager, said the
birds were fussy creatures, only nesting on freshly overthrown gravel
found on river beds or in quarries.
He said: "It's a thrilling and exciting sight to see such a rare bird
in these parts.
"It's good to see these birds using Vane Farm as stop off all the way
from West Africa.
"We will be interested and excited to see how long it stays around and
if it stays around to breed."
The birds look similar to their larger cousin, the Ringed Plover but
have a yellow eye ring and long legs.
BBC News: 16th April 2008
