Grey Phalarope (now becoming known as the Red Phalarope)
(Phalaropus Fulicarus)

The Grey Phalarope is a Dunlin sized wader and larger than the Red-necked Phalarope with a shorter and thicker bill. The Grey Phalarope can be very tame allowing close views as it feeds. The bird breeds near the coast in the Arctic usually on on lagoons and boggy meadows.

The Grey does not breed in Britain or Ireland but during migration will travel great distances. Most non-breeding birds leave their summer? areas in late June with the females following in July and then the males with the young shortly after that. Most arrive in their winter quarters by November.

Around 200 individuals are seen in Britain most years and our bird stayed around the Two Tree lagoon for two weeks.

Having been lucky enough to have been visited by this bird and the Red-necked Phalarope two months ago, you can get a wonderful comparison of the two birds by comparing Steve Arlow's photographs.

The following photographs of the Grey Phalarope were taken by Steve Arlow of the Southend Ornithological Group on 20th October 2003 at Two Tree Island.

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