Rare Lesser Yellowlegs Bird Spotted in Jersey for First Time

The lesser yellowlegs, a North American wading bird, was sighted in Jersey for the first time at St Ouen's Pond. The brief visit was confirmed by Jersey Birds and noted by the British Trust for Ornithology as a rare UK sighting.

Rare American Bird Sighted in Jersey

A North American wading bird, the lesser yellowlegs, has been observed in Jersey for the first time.

The bird was spotted on Monday at The Scrape at St Ouen's Pond by members of Jersey Birds. Mick Dryden, a representative from the group, described the sighting as special.

"It was special" to see it, said Mick Dryden.

Birdwatcher Tony Paintin provided further details about the bird's appearance and behavior.

"It was quite a striking bird, about the size of a greenshank and it's got very long yellow legs," he said.

Paintin noted that the bird was feeding on the pond around 09:00 BST and remained on the island for only one day. Jersey Birds confirmed that this was the first verified record of the species on the island.

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Brief Visit and Previous Sightings

Dryden mentioned that the bird's visit was brief, prompting the team to review historical records to determine if the species had previously been seen in Jersey.

While this was the first confirmed sighting in Jersey, the lesser yellowlegs has been observed in Guernsey before.

The British Trust for Ornithology reported a limited number of sightings of this "slender and graceful" bird in the UK, primarily occurring between August and October.