Ringed Plover

📍 Local Expert Tip

” The Ringed Plover is much declined but still a regular sight in autumn and winter on the mudflats opposite Coronation Green / Town Quay and between the Railway and Toll Bridges. Also found roosting at high tide on the beach by Widewater often with Dunlin. Numbers peak in late August as migrant birds pass through with the presence of juveniles indicating if they’ve had a good breeding season or not.”

🔍 Overview

A compact and charming wader, the Ringed Plover nests on Sussex’s shingle and is also a common passage migrant. Scarce breeder.

🪶 Key Identification Features

Size: Small (18–20 cm)
Plumage: Sandy brown above, white below
Distinctive Marks: Black breast band, white forehead
Bill: Short, orange with black tip
Tail: Short
Flight: Fast and direct

🗺️ Habitat & Distribution

Shingle beaches like Worthing Beaches, Brighton Marina, and Lower Adur Valley.

🎶 Voice & Behaviour

Soft “peep” call. Quick stop-start run while feeding.

🍴 Diet

Invertebrates, worms, crustaceans.

📸 Birding Tip

Blend in well—scan carefully across pebbles or sand at low tide.