The animal, a female water rail, normally resides in well-vegetated areas of wetlands in northern Europe and Asia and mainly feeds on small fish, snails and insects. And, after spending two days in the care of vets, the animal was well enough to be released back into the wild.
Mike Stentiford, ornithologist and environmentalist, said the work that the National Trust for Jersey had done on the reed beds at St Ouen’s Pond may have enticed it to the Island.
‘It is a rare resident which does breed here on occasions.
‘Back in 2017 several hundred were present here up until mid-March at St Ouen’s Pond but there have not been that
many sightings of them apart from that,’ he said.
‘And in 2010, we had the first confirmed breeding resident, so that was not long ago at all.
‘It could be all down to the National Trust for Jersey and the work they have done on the reed cutting. It had created little areas of shallow water which are ideal for birds such as water rails.’
