Birdwatchers have been flocking to a reservoir in Foulridge after a rare bird was spotted in the area.
A hoopoe has been spotted in Foulridge Lower Reservoir.
According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the bird does not breed in the UK, but as many as 100 hoopoes are known to turn up in spring and they are mainly seen on their own.
A wildlife photographer, Craig Smith, was one person who went to the site. He shared pictures of the bird and said it was rarely seen in East Lancashire.
He said: “It’s a very good find. It has been around Foulridge since October 2, I believe.”
The hoopoe is an exotic-looking bird, with a pinkish-brown body, striking black and white wings, a black downcurved bill, and a pinkish-brown crest which it raises when excited.
Hoopoes are listed as a Schedule One species in the Wildlife and Countryside Act, meaning it is illegal to intentionally or recklessly kill, injure or take the species, disturb its nest, or its young.
Alan Wright, who works for the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, said he plans to head to the reservoir to try and spot the bird for himself this weekend.
He believes the bird is part of a flock that arrived in Yorkshire in the past couple of years. He said it is “really exciting” that the bird is here.
He said: “The hoopoe tends to be a short-term visitor to the south coast of the UK being blown off their route between Europe and Africa.
"A few have arrived in Yorkshire in the past couple of years and we believe the Foulridge bird may be part of that group.
"It may stay some time if we have a mild winter and there are plenty of beetles and other insects to eat.
“It is really exciting because it is a striking bird, with its downturned bill and black and white crest. It has a pink and white body and black-tipped wings. It looks amazing in flight.
“Apparently they are common in Southern Europe and allow people to get quite close to feed them but I think this one will be really shy. They are not big birds, about the size of a blackbird.
“I will heading into East Lancashire this weekend to see if it is still around and, I presume, I will be joining hordes of birdwatchers.”
A spokesperson for the RSPB said: “The hoopoe is an exotic-looking bird that is the size of a mistle thrush.
“It has a pinkish-brown body, striking black and white wings, a black downcurved bill, and a pinkish-brown crest which it raises when excited.
“It does not breed in the UK, but as many as 100 Hoopoes can turn up in spring, mostly seen solo, as birds migrating north to Europe from Africa overshoot and land on the south coast of England.”
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