Manx Birdlife says it is thrilled to announce it has officially recorded the 200th bird species at its Point of Ayre National Reserve.
The milestone was marked in early November when reserve manager, David, spotted an Avocet feeding at the north end of the reserve.
With its striking black-and-white plumage and upturned bill, this rare visitor stayed for only about 10 minutes before flying off, but was spotted again the following day by a lucky group of birdwatchers who managed to get some great pictures of the bird.
The charity said: “Since then, the Avocet has taken up residence on the southern part of the Island, often seen at Langness.”
Special
David, who also recorded the 199th species (a Purple Heron) in 2023, said: “It feels special that our 200th bird species was an Avocet, a bird that symbolises wildlife recovery and hope.”
This is only the third time an Avocet has been recorded on the Isle of Man, with previous sightings in April 2004 and May 2002.
As rare visitors, both the Purple Heron and the Avocet sightings had to be confirmed by the Manx Bird Records Committee before they could be officially added to the reserve list.
The charity added: “We are incredibly proud of this milestone and the ongoing efforts that make the Manx BirdLife Point of Ayre National Reserve a vital sanctuary for birds. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported our work!”
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