The search is on for rare albatross at cliffs
Eagle-eyed 12-year-old bird watcher spots rarity at RSPB Bempton Cliffs
been able to grab a photo of the visitor is 12-year-old Joe Fryer from Ripon. He was visiting the coast with his grandparents when he spotted the albatross and immediately set the birdwatching community alight on social media.
He told the Mercury: “I felt overwhelmed and excited when I saw the bird. Lots of people have been getting in touch and magazines and websites have even asked me to write an article about the experience.”
Joe said he had been hoping to spot a corn bunting which had been recorded in the area. But he ended up with a more spectacular find.
Tony Hood, secretary of Flamborough Bird Observatory, said: “It’s very unusual. There have only been about 30 records of this species in Britain but these reports are pretty genuine.”
He said the species is usually found in the Falkland Islands and the rare visitor has not been seen for more than a week.
Tony added: “There were no more sightings this weekend. There has been one spotted at a couple of places in Germany in the past three years so there are suggestions it has gone back there. It’s annoying that it has Secretary of Flamborough Bird Observatory been so intermittent. There were a lot of people who came here over the weekend on the off-chance they might spot it.
“People came from Lincolnshire, one guy from the West Midlands hired a boat from Bridlington to try to see it on the cliffs, and we know a few people have been camping out around Bempton since last Tuesday.”