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Thousands flock to see 'very rare' little bustard | Thousands flock to see 'very rare' little bustard |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Thousands of twitchers have descended on a wildlife centre hoping to catch a glimpse of a bird not seen in Gloucestershire since 1946. | Thousands of twitchers have descended on a wildlife centre hoping to catch a glimpse of a bird not seen in Gloucestershire since 1946. |
The little bustard was first spotted by Martin McGill at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) on Sunday. | The little bustard was first spotted by Martin McGill at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) on Sunday. |
About 2,000 avid birdwatchers lined up for the "mega" sighting in Slimbridge. | |
Reserve warden Mr McGill said: "I did swear and use some very naughty words when I saw it but it's extremely rare." | Reserve warden Mr McGill said: "I did swear and use some very naughty words when I saw it but it's extremely rare." |
The last reported sighting in the county of the chicken-sized bird was in May 1946 in Nortleach and in Britain in 2014. | The last reported sighting in the county of the chicken-sized bird was in May 1946 in Nortleach and in Britain in 2014. |
Mr McGill said his first reaction when he spotted the "extremely rare" male bird "can't be published". | Mr McGill said his first reaction when he spotted the "extremely rare" male bird "can't be published". |
He said he thinks this rare visitor "may well stick around for a while". | He said he thinks this rare visitor "may well stick around for a while". |
"This is a mega sighting so we've probably had about 2,000 people by now," he said. | "This is a mega sighting so we've probably had about 2,000 people by now," he said. |
"It's of interest to lots of people so we're hoping it stays for the weekend." | "It's of interest to lots of people so we're hoping it stays for the weekend." |
Tony Whitehead, from the RSPB, said the sighting was a "really good record for the UK" and would be "setting hearts aflutter". | Tony Whitehead, from the RSPB, said the sighting was a "really good record for the UK" and would be "setting hearts aflutter". |
"It's a pretty scarce bird, there have only been 27 visits by the little bustard to the UK since 1950," he said. | "It's a pretty scarce bird, there have only been 27 visits by the little bustard to the UK since 1950," he said. |
"But this last few days there has [also] been an influx of painted lady butterflies with the warm weather so it could be that very hot weather in France and Spain is causing a bit of movement." | "But this last few days there has [also] been an influx of painted lady butterflies with the warm weather so it could be that very hot weather in France and Spain is causing a bit of movement." |
Little bustards live and breed in grassland areas. There is a resident population in Spain, with migratory populations in France, Ukraine, southern parts of Russia and Kazakhstan. | Little bustards live and breed in grassland areas. There is a resident population in Spain, with migratory populations in France, Ukraine, southern parts of Russia and Kazakhstan. |
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