Titchfield: Glossy ibis 'scarce' in the UK spotted

Three Daily Echo Camera Club members have managed to catch glossy ibis birds in Hampshire, with Ian Gray taking a photo of one making a dramatic landing in Titchfield.

Ian posted on Facebook to say he was in the "right place, right time" as the "amazing" bird landed in front of him in Titchfield Haven.

"The iridescent tones look amazing in the afternoon sun," he said, as his photos showed the ibis' 88 to 105cm wingspan in full stretch.

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Dave Horrocks called the bird "almost prehistoric looking" as he also snapped photos of one mid-flight.

Dave Hurrocks was quick to catch the glossy ibis mid-flight. (Image: Dave Horrocks) Hampshire Wildlife Trust said on its website that the glossy ibis can be identified through its "long, curving curlew-like bill".

The trust's website said: "On closer inspection, the wings, tail and much of the upperparts shimmer with iridescent green and purple.

"In breeding plumage, the neck and body turn a rich chestnut - in winter, and in young birds, they're a darker brown."

Ian Grey spotted the glossy ibis coming in to land. (Image: Ian Grey) The glossy ibis can be found all across the world in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and North, Central and South America.

In the UK, they are most commonly seen in the south of England and Wales.

On its profile page of the glossy ibis, Hampshire Wildlife Trust said: "This glossy wading bird is a scarce visitor to the UK, though records have become more common in recent decades.

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"Glossy ibises made a couple of breeding attempts in England in 2014 and 2016, with the first confirmed successful nest in 2022.

Dave Hurrocks also caught the ibis parading around by the water. (Image: Dave Horrocks) "It's predicted that breeding may become more common as climate change results in drier summers in southwest Europe and milder winters in the UK."

Hampshire Wildlife Trust's website also notes that the birds are usually found in wetlands or damp fields, where they use their "long bill to probe the mud for food".

They are known to have a varied diet and have special sensory organs in the tip of their beak to detect pressure and vibrations, which allows them to easily find food buried in mud.