European Golden Plover

dw00173 – European Golden plover ( Hjejle, Pluvialis Apricaria ) is the fastest game bird in Ireland – Or is it? – The question kicked off the beginning of the book Guinness World records in 1951

Watercolor of European Golden Plover

Text and drawing by Frits Ahlefeldt

The Golden Plover and Guinness world Records

After a hunt in Ireland two men, one of them the Sir Hugh Beaver – Managing director of the Guinness breweries, came to discuss what game bird was the fastest in Ireland – The Golden Plover or the Red Groose. In the evening Sir Hugh Beaver realized the answer couldn’t be found anywhere – and went to commission the famous book: “The Guinness world records” to have a place to look up such questions.

The Golden plover bird is the fastest game bird in Ireland, and got its latin name from the believe that it would flock when it was about to rain ( Pluvialis Apricaria – Pluvia means rain in latin )

Bringer of Spring in Iceland

The Golden plover is especially celebrated in Iceland, when it arrives from migration, as the bringer of spring ( Around mid March )

Wikipedia link: European Golden Plover bird

Keywords: watercolor, watercolour, birds, fowl, wildlife, animals, birding, fugle, biodiversitet, akvarel

Watercolors of birds series – Watercolor painting by Frits Ahlefeldt. FritsAhlefeldt.com