How exotic bird of America is thought to have ended up in Speke

An exotic bird native to the Americas has been spotted in Liverpool in what is believed to be only the third such sighting in the UK.

The grackle - which is not known to be migratory - is believed to have arrived in England in January after stowing away on a ship from North America - a journey of about 3,500 miles (5,600 km).

Jackie Binks, an avid birder and a member of the RSPB, is believed to have been the first person to have made a confirmed sighting in The Meadows, a piece of National Trust owned land near Speke Hall.

"It's just mega, it's only the third one for Britain so it's absolutely mega," she said.

There are 11 species of grackle, and there is some debate whether Speke's newest arrival is a great-tailed or boat-tailed version.

Male great-tailed grackles are black with a purple-blue sheen on the feathers of the head and upper body, while females are brown with darker wings and tail.

Binks said she spends "morning, noon and night" birdwatching in Speke.

"I just absolutely love birds," she said.

"All the wildlife here and especially this time of year, spring, now we've got all the migratory birds coming in it's just absolutely amazing."

Describing her first sighting, she said: "It was dusk on the 22nd of January and I was just doing my usual patch walk and I saw this bird.

"I thought 'I don't know what that is'.

"I took a picture of it, got a sound recording of its call, put it on the local WhatsApp group and someone came back straight away and said it's a grackle."

She added: "I'm just mega excited. Yeah, I can't believe it's turned up on my patch. I'm absolutely made up."

Sarah Wiggins senior marketing communications officer for the National Trust, said: "It's a really exciting time for us at Speke Hall, the grackle arrived early in January and it's brought a lot of attention from a lot of different bird watchers and bird lovers from all over the country."

Wiggins said the ranger team on site had created "perfect roosting conditions" in the wetland area and meadows at Speke Hall.

She added the excitement around the sighting had "really helped to connect a lot of people with our nature here in Liverpool".

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.