The yellow crowned night heron was spotted in Belcarra
The yellow crowned night heron was spotted in Belcarra
Birdwatchers near and far are making their way to the village of Belcarra, near Castlebar, following the sighting of a rare North American bird.

A yellow crowned night heron nestled in the trees above the village riverside sparked excitement among locals and bird enthusiasts in the area.

The sighting of the bird is the first of its kind in the UK and Ireland, with only a couple of sightings recorded across mainland Europe.

Almost 50 bird watchers arrived in the Mayo village from the UK over the weekend in hopes of catching a glimpse of the animal.


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The village's Facebook page shared details this morning about the rare sighting of the 'beautiful creature'.

Lorraine Ryan Jennings was first to spot the bird, with Geraldine Nee snapping some amazing photos of the bird.

The duration of the heron's stay in Belcarra is unclear, however, the excitement is sure to linger over the coming days.