Binoculars and telescopes used in kestrel sighting

A group of bird enthusiasts recently amassed in a location in Suffolk with their binoculars and telescopes in a bid to see a rare breed of kestrel.

Alerted by a paging system, the twitchers travelled from around the country to the southern county hoping to catch a glimpse of an American Kestrel, the Telegraph reports.

However, despite their efforts and enthusiasm, the individuals were left disappointed after it was revealed that the animal had a metal ring on its leg and was in fact from a nearby sanctuary that it had managed to escape from.

They had hoped the bird was a rare wild visitor to the British shores. In fact, it was from the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary at Stonham near Stowmarket.

According to the Telegraph, the last sighting of such a bird in the UK occurred in 1980.

Commenting on the excitement felt by those who took their binoculars and telescopes to the location in the hope of viewing the creature, president of the Suffolk Ornithologists' Group Steve Piotrowski said: "It was panic stations, phone lines were red hot; everyone was preparing to come down from across the country.

"There would have been thousands ready to come down when they got the news. I think there might have been a bit of egg on face there."

However, the sighting was called off before many people had started their journeys.

Meanwhile, general manager at Suffolk Owl Sanctuary Andrew Hulme noted that the bird in question is six months old and is named Paula. She had made her getaway while her aviary was being cleaned three days earlier.

He added: "Thankfully, knowledgeable people spotted her and knew what they were looking at."

Staff from the sanctuary, which houses a range of owls and other birds of prey, recaptured her later that on that day.

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