Rare bird spotted at Wakefield beauty spot in stunning photo moment
Birdwatchers were treated to a surprise
A juvenile female osprey has been spotted at Anglers Country Park in Wakefield, giving birdwatchers an unusual treat at the popular beauty spot.
The bird was seen spending time around the lake, with the encounter captured on camera by Chris Firth.
The sighting stands out because ospreys remain among the UK’s rarest breeding birds of prey.
Also known as a sea hawk, river hawk or fish hawk, the species is a specialist fish-eater that can measure more than 60cm in length and have a wingspan of around 180cm.
Their numbers have been gradually increasing, but ospreys are still classed as rare and scarce breeding birds in the UK. It is estimated that there are now between 300 and 400 breeding pairs nesting across the country each year.
The birds are summer visitors to the UK, arriving from March onwards after wintering in West Africa before heading south again in late summer.
For those lucky enough to see it at Anglers Country Park, the visit offered a memorable encounter and an impressive photographic moment for Chris.