NORTHAM Burrows has welcomed a visitor to its shores which hasn’t been to Devon for over 50 years ago.
There have been no reported sightings of the Collared Pratincole ever on Northam Burrows – until this week. It is migratory, and usually winters in tropical Africa.
Excited birdwatchers spotted the little wader, whose favourite places are the warmer parts of Europe, southwest Asia and Africa, on the afternoon of April 21.
Word spread and other birdwatchers managed to get to the site before dusk to see it.
Early on the April 22 it seemed that the special visitor had left the area, but it soon reappeared, and stayed in the area of Northam Burrows until 2.30pm, at which point it took off and flew high east.
It spent most of its time on the Burrows hawking insects.
Steve Waite, Devon bird recorder for Devon Birds, said: “The Collared Praticole was last seen in Devon 58 years ago, when one was at Braunton Great Field on 15-18 May 1956.
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