Gwynedd: Mystery surrounds Sea Eagle spotted by farmer

Mystery surrounds the appearance of a rare eagle not native to Wales for hundreds of years.

The White-tailed Eagle, or Sea Eagle, was seen at Rhodri Jones' farm near Llanuwchllyn, Gwynedd.

Eagles have been extinct as a breeding species for more than 150 years and this type has been absent in Wales since the 16th Century.

"Where it's come from, well that's a bit of a mystery," said wildlife expert Iolo Williams.

The eagle was first seen flying at the farm on Wednesday, 3 January, and Mr Jones said he saw it again the following day.

According to the RSPB, White-tailed Eagles can be as tall as 90cm (35.4 in) and Mr Jones said that the size of the bird was something that stood out to him.

Unlike the Golden Eagle, the White-tailed Eagle is less fierce and can eat all kinds of things, such as fish, seabirds and carrion.

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Rhodri Jones said: "It stood on a rock looking down on the house for a good hour I'm sure.

"It was very quiet, and I went closer to get a better look, just a few hundred yards away to take a picture."

Mr Jones said one of the farm workers was first to see the bird, but he did not tell him it was an eagle to begin with, because he thought his boss would laugh at him in disbelief.

He added: "There are plenty of buzzards and kites here, but this bird was nothing like those."

The rare Sea Eagle paid a visit to a farm in north Wales

Ornithologist and broadcaster, Iolo Williams, said the sighting was fantastic news.

He said: "We don't see them often, they were absent for centuries - having nested here around five centuries ago.

"Now that they are being released on the Isle of Wight and are doing well in Scotland, we see a few… but only about one every ten years or so usually."

The eagle - pictured in 2017 on Mull Island - is said to be doing well in Scotland

The bird that was seen in Llanuwchllyn was "without a doubt" a wild bird, Mr Williams added.

"This is a wild bird, a young bird, last year's chick," he added.

Iolo Williams is an expert on the wildlife found in Wales

"Where it's come from, well that's a bit of a mystery. It isn't one of the birds that were released on the Isle of Wight, we do know that.

"A young eagle was spotted in Norfolk about three weeks ago and it had gone missing... it could be that same one, but we just don't know."

He continued: "These eagles are a part of our heritage, they have been absent since the sixteenth century and I would personally love to see eagles returning to Wales."

The bird was spotted flying over the farm on Wednesday and Thursday

Although welcoming its visit, Mr Jones said he hoped the eagle would not stick around for too long, as he prepared for the lambing season.

"It's been a great pleasure to see this bird here, I'm delighted, but I don't think that here is the place for it," he said.

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