Description Here we have a charming and beautiful British bird, known variously as the Northern Plover, Green Lapwing and the Peewit, after the sound of its call. It goes by the scientific name of Vanellus vanellus. It was a common sight while I was growing up in Hampshire in England, but recent years have not been kind to it and due to loss of breeding grounds and changes in farming methods, its numbers have dropped dramatically and it is now on the Red List as threatened. I had not seen one for years, but on a recent visit to Elmley Marshes near my home in Kent, I came across a thriving population. A wonderful sight they were and a delight to hear their calling and their fast and erratic flight. I tried some flight shots but they resulted in what my Son would call 'an epic fail'. They are crazy fast, but the main difficult is that they veer and change direction like no other bird I have seen. A challenge for another day I feel :0). Very similar in build, shape and size to Plovers the world over and if you have seen my recent shot of the Australian Masked Plover, you can see a more than superficial resemblance
James Bennett (Mr Bennett Kent), Sissinghurst, Kent, England Member Since July 2014 Artist Statement Fine Art Wildlife and Bird photography from the UK and my travels to America and Australia.
Macro and Extreme Macro photography of insects and plants are also represented, showing the fascinating and strangely beautiful world normally invisible to the naked eye.