Eagle extinct in England spotted in Amberley

Peter Hughes, RSPB warden, said: “When I got a call on Saturday lunchtime from someone who said he was watching a white-tailed eagle at Amberley Wildbrooks, I’ll admit I was a little sceptical at first. But fifteen minutes later I was there too, watching this magnificent bird.”

The birds, which are mainly found in northern Europe, were made extinct in the UK during the early 19th century, but through a reintroduction programme there is now a small UK population which is confined to Scotland.

Peter added: “The ‘big fella’ spent most of Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning on the Amberley brooks, causing the local crows a great deal of worry and being admired by many local birders, before heading off west.”

It is thought that the “big fella” had been forced south-west, from Scandinavia or the Baltic, by severe winter weather.