A rare white-throated needletail has been sighted at Tophill Low nature reserve in East Yorkshire, marking the first confirmed sighting of the bird in England since 1991. The species, a large and fast-flying relative of Britain's native swift, is usually found in eastern Asia and Australia.
The bird was first spotted by reserve visitors Mandy Gregory and Ray Maddison, who photographed the swift and brought the images to warden Richard Hampshire. He confirmed it as a very rare visitor, leading to a flood of interest on social media. Within an hour, around 50 birdwatchers had gathered at the reserve.
Mr Hampshire described the sighting as "the second rarest bird to appear in 60 years at Tophill Low", after an Amur falcon in 2008. The British Trust for Ornithology notes that the white-throated needletail is an extremely rare visitor to Britain and Ireland, with records typically occurring between May and July.
According to eBird, the bird is "a powerful-looking swift with long saber-shaped wings and a bullet-shaped body", characterised by a clean white throat and smooth pale grey back. Its flight is described as less erratic than other swifts, and its call is a high-pitched, screaming twitter.
In addition to the Tophill Low sighting, the bird was also spotted at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, attracting large crowds. Tophill Low, operated by Yorkshire Water with volunteer support, has hosted numerous conservation successes including breeding otters, nesting cetti's warblers, and a thriving population of greater water parsnip.
