A Juvenile Dotterel, one of my favourites!

It is always great to learn that a Dotterel is in the area, so I was quick to go and see the one at Bockhill when I got a message.

A juvenile bird in a stubble field is par for the course and they are normally quite tame provided you take care.

by sitting on the ground and moving a little bit at a time on my backside along the edge of the footpath, I got quite close to it and as the bird carried on feeding I just waited for it to move in my direction.

Keeping my head down and trying not to look directly at the bird, it seemed to take little notice of me. Of course to camera had to be lifted slowly and there's no doubt it was aware of the shutter noise.

Once it had come reasonably close and the move off again I repeated the bum shuffle and went to where two birders were scoping the bird. It carried on feeding quite normally for a while but then seemed to disappear from view. We presumed it was probably crouching. It then flew towards us and turned to wards the Monument before dropping back on the field further up. I didn't see what disturbed it, but it may have been a bird of prey that we didn't see.