Golden Plover photographed at Pleinmont [PLE] on 6/10/2007 Photo: © Mark Guppy (visit site)

Golden Plovers are something of an enigma in Guernsey. Three localities, the Airport, Portinfer and Pecqueries hold regular wintering flocks of 100-200 birds. These records probably relate to one wintering flock that uses the Airport, and other large grassy areas (e.g. Barras Lane) as a feeding area and the rocky beaches of Portinfer and Pecqueries as a roost. Outside the winter period Golden Plover are a regular passage migrant and can be found in fields in areas such as Pleinmont, L'Eree Aerodrome, Barras Lane, or on beaches along the west coast. Its status does not seem to have changed much as Smith wrote in 1878 that the Golden Plover is "a common winter visitant to all the islands, arriving at about the end of October..."

Golden Plovers have been recorded in all months apart from June. In autumn, birds start moving through the islands in small numbers from mid- to late August onwards. Small numbers are recorded in September (typically in flocks of 1-2 birds) and it is not until October that the wintering flocks start to build (up to 50 birds). Numbers peak in December and January at between 100 and 200 birds before falling off sharply during February after which it is rare to see flocks of more than 20 birds. Few are recorded in April and the last records occur in the first week of May.