Has our unique feathered friend re-appeared in Norfolk?

Twitchers have gone into overdrive after a second sighting of a bird that was spotted in the UK for the first time between Newtown and Welshpool back in April.

A Black-Winged Kite was spotted by Shropshire birder Martyn Owen by chance whilst driving through.

His then announcement of the bird’s arrival, probably from France, sent the birding world into a frenzy, but there has not been a second recorded sighting until this week.

Mr Owen confirmed last night that a Black-Winged Kite was spotted in east Norfolk, with scores of enthusiasts this time able to grab a look at the magnificent bird which was is lingering in the Hickling Broad area. It is not possible to tell whether it was the same bird that we welcomed to Mid Wales.

“It was fun being the only member of the UK Black-Winged Kite Club, while it lasted,” joked Mr Owen on sharing the news.

With an increasing population across Europe – including in France, where the species now breeds as close as the Calais coastal area – it seemed only a matter of time before more Black-Winged Kites would appear in Britain, having already been spotted in the Channel Islands in 2020.