Hundreds flock to UK village for bird unseen locally since 1968, forcing buses to reroute

A rare bird from Siberia drew so many birdwatchers to Mundesley, a village on England's Norfolk coast, that local bus routes had to be changed.

Here's what to know

According to BBC News, parking problems led Sanders Coaches to change three routes after the northern nutcracker was reportedly seen in a garden.

For birders in Britain, the sighting was especially significant because the species hasn't been seen in Norfolk since 1968 and hasn't been widely recorded across the United Kingdom since 1991. 

Chris Stone, a 44-year-old birder from Wymondham who also volunteers with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, described the bird as "about the size of a crow." He said the species is scarce in Britain because it doesn't migrate. "They will move if food is low where they live in Siberia," he told BBC News.

Stone said 150 birdwatchers from around the country had gathered in Mundesley, while Josh Jones of BirdGuides said he was among 200 people hoping to catch a glimpse of the bird Sunday.

More background

"The northern nutcracker is a very rare visitor to Britain, primarily because we are so far from the bird's native range and because these unexpected movements, or irruptions as they are known, are infrequent," Jones said, according to BBC News.

Jones said the species has been appearing in Western Europe, making it likely it will eventually reach Britain.

British sightings have been few. Bird Guides recorded one in Caithness, Scotland, in 2021, and a few birdwatchers saw another in Kent in 1998.

BBC News described the species as mostly chocolate-brown with white speckling and patches.

What's being done?

Officials and transport operators acted as congestion built up. "No, we are not 'running out of excuses,' thank you!" Sanders Coaches said in a social media post, explaining that "people double-parking everywhere trying to photograph it" were causing chaos in the Mundesley-Trunch area.

"Unfortunately fitting one of our bus trackers to the bird would likely constitute a wildlife crime, so we are unable to provide any more precise updates as it stands as to where he may be perched next," the company stated. It also urged visitors to park mindfully and leave enough space for buses and emergency vehicles.

According to BBC News, Stone said there was "a bit of clogging up down the lanes" even though the local church had set aside parking.

Norfolk police responded after multiple complaints about parking on Trunch Road and Water Lane in Mundesley. A spokesperson said officers had set out cones, would continue regular patrols, and were asking motorists to park responsibly and show consideration for residents and property boundaries.

"It was an absolute thrill to see this bird in Britain after so many years of waiting for one to show up," Jones said, per BBC News. 

Where can I learn more?

There have been plenty of other surprising wildlife encounters that have caused a stir or upended daily routines in Britain. 

• In Cheshire, a wasp spider turned up for the first time, signaling another surprising arrival.

• In Cornwall, a starving puffin was rescued and gradually recovered under close care.

• Off Norfolk, a barn owl collapsed aboard a British Army boat after two sea falls.

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