Pacific Golden Plover

The Pacific Golden Plovers at Myroe Levels, Lough Foyle have continued to make this year, one of the best on record for rare birds in Northern Ireland.
This species breeds in northern Siberia and western Alaska and is highly migratory. It is however extremely difficult to distinguish from American Golden Plover. It is also the much rarer vagrant and according to LGR Evans (Rare Birds in Britain), AGP records would seem to outnumber it by about 8 to 1. Most records of Pacific Golden Plover tend to be in mid-summer or winter. Also, according to Evans, few stay longer than five days!
Many thanks to Neal Warnock for the shots below of the PGP and Golden Plover:

adult Pacific Golden Plover (left) - Neal Warnock

adult Pacific Golden Plover (right) - Neal Warnock