A BIRD rarely seen in Herefordshire has been spotted in the county.
An osprey was spotted half-a-mile upstream from Bredwardine Bridge by Clint Joseph and Tim Price while they were out canoeing on Saturday afternoon.
Clint, from Hereford, who took a photograph of the bird, said: “I always see them on Spring Watch and I know how rare they are in Herefordshire, so I really could not believe it. It was just amazing.”
According to Josh Jones, manager at BirdGuides, osprey are a migrant breeding bird to the north of England and Scotland and through much of southern Britain during both spring and autumn.
He said: “Ospreys are certainly a notable bird in Herefordshire.
“In autumn, they are in less of a hurry and often stick around at suitable freshwater sites with lots of fish.
“While not a particularly rare species, they are always a good one to find – particularly away from known breeding areas.
August and September are the peak times to see them on autumn passage.
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