Twitchers in flap at rare bird sighting
The warming climate in Northamptonshire has attracted a rare bird into the county for only the second time in history.
A cattle egret, which normally prefers the sunny climes of southern Europe, Africa and Asia, has been spotted in Fotheringhay.
Mike Alibone, from Northamptonshire Bird Club, said: "Cattle egrets are given to eruptive movements but are quite rare in Britain, with only two or three sightings per year.
"But this winter there has been quite a big influx into the UK. There's a flock in Cornwall and they have been spotted along the South cost, with a few elsewhere. But this one is well in-land and only the second ever to be recorded in Northamptonshire."
Cattle egrets follow cattle because the animals disturb insects during their grazing, which the birds can then eat. This egret was spotted near a flock of sheep.
Mr Alibone added: "We think it's because the climate is better for them, as it is a lot warmer now. For a bird seen about two or three times per year it is quite a phenomenon to see them now. It might be following the footsteps of the little egret, which colonised the UK over the past 10 to 15 years."
He said the cattle egret posed no threat to existing species. "It's got its own niche so it won't interfere with existing bird feeding patterns."
A spokesman for the RSPB added: "The cattle egret is a beautiful bird and has created a great deal of excitement. More common around southern Spain and north Africa, the cattle egret may well be another bird that is expanding its range further north, like little egrets and collared doves."
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Weather for Northampton
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
