Greater sand plover is first for Shetland

A greater sand plover was discovered in Unst yesterday evening (Wednesday) - marking the first record for Shetland.

The bird was spotted by visiting birdwatcher Tom Rosas in Haroldswick.

These plovers breed in the semi-deserts of Central Asia, from Turkey to eastern Mongolia. While in the winter, they head to coastal areas of East Africa, South Asia and Australasia.

Greater sand plovers are considered a very rare vagrant to Western Europe - with the last sighting of the species in the UK in Northumberland last July.

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