Rare bird gone with the wind

Bird-spotters flocked to see the exceedingly rare white-throated needletail only to watch it get killed by a wind turbine.

In nearly 170 years there have been only eight recorded sightings of the bird in the UK, the last being in 1991.

The white-throated needletail - the world's fastest-flying bird - was thousands of kilometres off course after turning up at Tarbert, on the Isle of Harris.

It was first seen by two bird spotters from Northumberland on Monday. More than 80 twitchers flocked to Harris - with scores more on their way - to follow the bird's flight.

But it flew into a wind turbine at Tarbert, a death witnessed by around 40 people.

Josh Jones, of Bird Guides, said: "It is ironic that, after waiting so long for this bird to turn up in the UK, it was killed by a wind turbine and not a natural predator."

He added: "The corpse will be sent to a museum but obviously this is just terrible. Some people will have lost the cost of their flights.

"We think the bird probably came from Siberia. It is so sad what has happened."

Western Isles wildlife expert Steve Duffield said: "A very sad end to a delightful bird that might well have attracted many more birders to Harris over the following days had it not met its untimely demise."

A spokesman for Bird Guides said the white-throated needletail is capable of flying vast distances and spends more time in the air than on the ground.