Birdwatchers flock for black lark

The black lark is thought to have come from the Urals

Thousands of bird watchers are turning up at a seabird reserve on Anglesey in the hope of spotting a rare black lark which appears to have flown there from Central Asia.

The lark was first spotted at the South Stack RSPB reserve near Holyhead on Sunday, and within hours, hundreds of bird enthusiasts had arrived to catch a glimpse.

At dawn on Monday, 600 birdwatchers were crowded on to the reserve - normally home to puffins, guillemots and other sea birds - trying to get a glimpse.

It is thought the bird, native to the Ural mountains in Central Asia, has drifted thousands of miles off course to arrive in the UK.

The male lark is the first ever of its species to be spotted in Wales and it is around for long enough, is expected to attract thousands of birdwatchers.

We don't know how long it will stay or indeed if it will continue its journey further west

Alan Davies, RSPB

"This is an amazing record for Wales and, if the bird stays, is sure to attract crowds to the reserve," said Dr Tony Prater, RSPB Cymru Conservation Manager.

The black lark has distinctive black plumage and a white beak.

It is larger than the skylark, which nests at South Stack, and has also suffered a decline in numbers because of the intensification of agriculture.

It tends not to migrate too far from the Russian steppes where it lives, although there have been records the lark appearing in mainland Europe and as far south as Lebanon and Israel.

One possible theory behind the bird's unexpected visit to north Wales is that it arrived on a Russian cargo ship which visited Holyhead last week.

Extra RSPB staff have been brought onto the reserve to cope with the thousands of watchers who are flocking to see the rare visitor.

Birdwatchers are travelling to the reserve to view the lark

Alan Davies, from the RSPB, said: "It is very, very exciting.

"We don't know how long it will stay or indeed if it will continue its journey further west."

Birdwatchers have arrived from as far away as Scotland and Cornwall to see the lark, after hearing the news of its arrival from fellow enthusiasts via phone or text message.

Official records are being reviewed, but the RSPB says the Welsh bird could be the first sighting of its kind in Britain.