Birdwatchers flock for first ever visit of rare Asian dove

The first ever sighting of a rare bird on the island of Ireland has caused a flap as birdwatchers and enthusiasts travel to catch a glimpse.

The oriental turtle dove was spotted in Lisburn, County Antrim, with reports suggesting people have travelled from as far away as Cork to see the flighty visitor.

The dove differs from the European variety in that it is larger and greyer. They are typically found in Asia but have been recorded in the UK on occasion.

Birdwatcher Michael Latham said its appearance is creating "quite a lot of excitement" across the birdwatching community.

Latham, who snapped a picture of the bird, said it was "very significant".

"There's been a lot of birders who have travelled around to come and see this bird and hopefully get a good look at it."

He said it was originally thought it was a regular turtle dove, but that this variant is "a heck of a lot rarer".

And, while there had been sightings in Great Britain, this was a first for the island.

As to where the bird came from, there is a theory it may have arrived from the Shetland Islands in Scotland.

Latham said the first reported sightings of this bird was in December, shortly after two of the species had left the islands.

Ornithologist Dr Kez Armstrong said the reports from the Shetlands mean this bird may be a "genuine vagrant".

"However the species is regularly kept in private collections, so we should be mindful that it may be an escapee.

"Regardless, its appearance has generated quite a bit of excitement amongst the birdwatching community across the island," she added.

"I would recommend that if anyone is hoping to catch a glimpse of the bird, that they are respectful of the residents living in the area and careful not to cause the bird any undue distress."

Garry Wilkinson, one of those who travelled to spot the bird, said people had come from all over for a "once-in-a-lifetime sighting".

He added that a European turtle dove wintered at a terrace house at Carntogher Road in Lisburn a couple of years ago, joking that: "Lisburn must have some attraction for the species."

Andrew Upton, a senior research ecologist for British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) in Northern Ireland, said there was a "really big crowd" when he tried to catch a glimpse of the bird on St Patrick's Day.

He said it was a "big surprise" that it is here, with most of the British sightings coming on the "east coast of Britain".

"It's one of the mysteries with birds. They turn up in the most bizarre places.

"Hopefully it will be able to fend for itself and maybe he'll hopefully be able to relocate back to Asia in due course and find all its other relatives," he added.