Grey
Plover occur during winter in varying numbers, with very few recorded on autumn
passage. It seems that if the Stag Rocks is chosen as a wintering area
the birds stay all winter.
This species is much more numerous at the nearby Budle Bay (counts of
700 not unusual) and on the
mudflats at Lindisfarne as they generally prefer muddier sediments.
Perhaps Grey Plover use Stag Rocks as an "overspill" area when the
numbers elsewhere are too high. There are some indications that this
species and Red Knot, both somewhat erratic at this locality, are
correlated. This may be due to that these species breed in the same
areas.
The record count during the period I counted waders there is 12
individuals on 10 January 1985.