Rare brown booby wows birdspotters at South Gare, Redcar

The brown booby in Redcar. Credit: Alex Jones

Bird spotters have flocked to the North East hoping to catch a glimpse of an unusual avian visitor.

The brown booby is normally found in tropical areas with breeding grounds in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

The brown booby is usually found in tropical areas. Credit: David Carr

However, one has travelled far beyond its usual habitat to be seen in the South Gare area of Redcar, on Teesside.

It was first spotted on 3 September and remains in the area.

The brown booby has made this green buoy its own. Credit: Alex Jones

It appears to have found its favourite spot in South Gare, perching on a green buoy where it watches over the sea.

It has also been unafraid to challenge the beach's current residents with David Carr capturing the moment it got itself in a fight with a seagull.

The brown booby battles a seagull. Credit: David Carr

The booby has a dark brown to black head and upper body, with the remainder of the bird being a contrasting white. 

The British Trust for Ornithology believes it is one of at least two in British waters and is part of a broader phenomenon that has seen a record number of tropical seabirds come to UK shores.

It is unclear how long the bird will remain in the North East with lower temperatures forecast in the coming days.

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