Birdwatching: Lapwing

Location: Grampound Road
​Species: Lapwing

Saw these lovely Lapwings flying overheard from our garden so we follow them on the field and saw 30+++ feeding on the ground. Such a beautiful bird.

The Lapwing is one of our largest waders, about pigeon-sized, and is also known as the Peewit or Green Plover.

From a distance the Lapwing appears black above and white below, but closer observation will reveal the upperparts as a beautiful iridescent dark green and purple. The breast and cheeks are white and under-tail coverts are orange-brown. The legs are pink.

The throat is black in the summer and white in winter. Also in the winter, the back feathers have buff edges giving them a scaly appearance.

Males and females are similar, except the male's crest is longer and they have blacker breasts and whiter faces.

Juveniles have a shorter crest and a very scaly back.

They have a slow wing beat that doesn't appear enough to keep them aloft. In the spring, amazing aerobatic displays comprising zigzagging flight,  rolls and dives.

Location: Home Sweet Home, Grampound Road, Cornwall

​Time to get energized before going out for a walk. Roast potatoes, roast pork chops with onions marinated overnight with garlic, smoked paprika, turmeric and olive oil plus tomato, lettuce and cucumber salad. Happy tummy