A rare bird has been spotted at a Kingston nature reserve.

A black-tailed godwit was seen at the Hogsmill Nature Reserve last week.

The species is identifiable by its distinctive black and white striped wings and long legs and beak.

It has only 60 breeding pairs in the UK, making sightings of black-tailed godwits rare outside of the wintering season.

Kristine Boudreau, the Hogsmill Nature Reserve manager, said: "It is a wonderful indicator that we are managing the reserve to a high standard and creating biodiversity that benefits so many species, including rare birds like this.

"The black-tailed godwit usually nests in north-east Scotland so the fact that it visited Hogsmill is very exciting. If it found the habitat once it can find it again, so hopefully it will return in the future.

"In a week we would expect to host around a dozen visitors to the reserve, but over the space of only three days 50 people came to Hogsmill hoping to catch a glimpse of the rare bird."

A total of 160 different bird species have now been recorded at the reserve.

These include nesting kingfishers, kestrels and herons and, in 2018, a Cetti's warbler.

The eight-acre wildlife refuge, which is open to the public through its free membership scheme, has two bird hides for visitors to spot the different species.

Pathways are accessible for wheelchairs and buggies and the reserve hosts educational visits for young people.

Click here to find out more about the Hogsmill Nature Reserve.

Have you signed up for our weekly newsletter yet? Sign up HERE for the top Kingston stories in your inbox each Friday!