A Northern Lapwing visits the beach in MA. 1/12/2025.

This is my second time seeing a Northern Lapwing in Massachusetts, but this bird was oh so much closer! It was quite the celebrity amongst birders and photographers as it strutted around the playground, fields, and beach surrounding Fort Rodman in New Bedford, MA. The Northern Lapwing is a member of the plover family, and it normally lives in parts of Asia and Europe so it is certainly out of its range. There have only been three reports of the bird being seen in MA in the last 10 years so I consider myself lucky. It is possibly one of my favorite smaller birds with its coloring and interesting "updo"!