Twitchers flock to see rare bird

The Collared Pratincole at Llanelli (Picture: Barry Stewart)

Twitchers are flocking from across the UK to wetlands in Carmarthenshire to catch a glimpse of a rare bird only sighted in Wales twice before.

The Collared Pratincole has taken up summer residence at the National Wetlands of Wales near Llanelli.

Enthusiasts have travelled from as far as Scotland to view the bird usually seen in north Africa and the Mediterranean.

There have been only two other recorded sightings in Wales since the 1970s.

For people to make the journey from Scotland speaks volumes Nigel Williams

The visiting bird was first spotted at the centre run by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust on 14 June.

But unlike the two previous visitors, this one appears to have decided to stick around for a while.

Centre general manager Nigel Williams said: "In mid June there was a high pressure system that came up from southern France and the Mediterranean and it probably came up with the high pressure.

"It's an unusual looking bird. It's a wading bird but it has short legs and a short beak.

"The type of habitat they require are salt plains in the Mediterranean and this time of year they would dry out."

The bird has been at the wetlands centre for a month

He said they were very similar to the conditions at the centre which looks out over the Burry Inlet.

Over 200 enthusiasts from as far as Scotland, Newcastle and London had travelled just to see the bird.

There were recorded sightings of a Collared Pratincole on 27 May 1973 at Penclawdd on Gower and again on 6 June 1983 in Rhosneigr, Anglesey.

"They do get odd one but very rarely on the east coast (of Britain) but for people to make the journey from Scotland speaks volumes," added Mr Williams.

"The person who found it is a regular visitor and he never thought he would see one in Britain let alone Wales."

Mr Williams said he was hopeful the bird would remain there for the rest of the summer as there were plenty of insects for it to feed on.

"We attract an excellent variety of birds anyway through the year but to have one this rare is a wonderful thing," he said.