Grey Phalarope
The Grey Phalarope is an Arctic-breeding wader that spends a large proportion of its life out at sea and many miles from land.
Grey Phalaropes do occur annually in the UK and are most often seen between October and January on the coast or at inland wetlands having been blown off-course by bad weather and strong winds in autumn.
Like the other phalarope species, the female is the more colourful and leaves the male to incubate the eggs and bring up the young. In North America, these birds are known as Red Phalaropes, due to their orangey-red breeding plumage.
In winter, the Grey Phalarope eats marine plankton picked from the sea's surface whilst on their breeding grounds they eat small insects and aquatic creatures.
Date: 21st October 2011
Location: Cudmore Grove Country Park, East Mersea, Essex
Grey Phalaropes do occur annually in the UK and are most often seen between October and January on the coast or at inland wetlands having been blown off-course by bad weather and strong winds in autumn.
Like the other phalarope species, the female is the more colourful and leaves the male to incubate the eggs and bring up the young. In North America, these birds are known as Red Phalaropes, due to their orangey-red breeding plumage.
In winter, the Grey Phalarope eats marine plankton picked from the sea's surface whilst on their breeding grounds they eat small insects and aquatic creatures.
Date: 21st October 2011
Location: Cudmore Grove Country Park, East Mersea, Essex
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