Rare sighting of European Roller in Cornwall

The European Roller has not been seen in Cornwall since 1994

A rare bird seen "once every couple of years" in the UK has been spotted in Cornwall.

The European Roller is a highly colourful bird, mostly seen in southern Europe.

The sighting of it has attracted crowds of birdwatchers to a country estate in west Cornwall where the bird was first seen.

One of those who managed to capture the bird on camera said it was "absolutely mind-blowing".

The European Roller is seen "once every couple of years" in the UK

Tom Stewart, from the British Trust for Ornithology, said this was the first roller seen in Cornwall since 1994.

"Rollers are rare and extremely colourful visitors from southern Europe that are usually recorded only once every couple of years in the UK," he said.

"Rollers spotted in the UK tend not to hang around for more than a day or so, however, so the fact the current bird has now spent a week here is very unusual."

The bird has remained on land owned by the Clowance Estate, a collection of luxury holiday lodges near the village of Praze-an-Beeble.

Dave Clayton said the bird showed off all of its profiles

Dave Clayton is a retired head teacher from near Penzance who became interested in birdwatching during lockdown.

He heard about the sighting and went to the site at dawn on 24 May where he found a crowd of people staring across a field.

Dave Clayton got up at dawn to capture pictures of the European Roller

He said: "It's a ludicrous colour. Front on it's utterly gorgeous.

"Every time it moved it showed a different colour combination - it was absolutely mind-blowing.

"It's really nice to be with a group of people who are really excited by the beauty of nature."

Mr Clayton said the bird was "flying from tree to tree" as if it was "trying to show itself from every angle".

He said the Clowance Estate had been "brilliant" in allowing controlled access for birdwatchers.

The bird is still understood to be in the grounds, but has moved to a more inaccessible location.