A LITTLE bird is causing a stir in Weymouth after being blown across the Atlantic by recent hurricanes battering the United States.

Hundreds of birdwatchers have turned out at Radipole Lake in hopes of catching a glimpse of the Pectoral Sandpiper.

Stuart Taylor is assistant winter warden for the RSPB's reserve at Radipole and said that there had been a steady stream of twitchers keen to spot the unassuming little wader.

He added: "The bird normally migrates for the winter from North America to South America, but it has probably been blown off course by recent hurricanes."

Mr Taylor said the small brown wader with a shortish beak has white streaks on its back, a white stomach and a brown breast band.

He added: "You get a few in Britain each year but they are very rare in Dorset."

The crowds of birdwatchers haunting the Visitor Centre in recent days were initially able to see the Pectoral Sandpiper with a group of snipe.

But it was on its own yesterday, probing mud at the edge of the lake and also foraging at the edge of reeds.

Among birdwatchers who had travelled to try and see the bird was Nigel Gidney from Poole who said he had specifically come to Radipole to see the sandpiper.

He was lucky and said: "I just caught a glimpse of it very briefly, so I'm very pleased."

Mr Taylor, who also saw the rare visitor, said: "There have probably been several hundred people here to try and see the sandpiper.

"It is certainly one of the most interesting visitors we have had recently and everyone wanted to see it."

Radipole is also reaping the reward for a lot of hard work to try and entice another important bird into breeding on the reserve.

Mr Taylor said: "We have recently confirmed that we have a bittern which was seen from the North Hide at Radipole.

"I always get a thrill when I see a bittern. It is a special bird and we are hoping that the way we have enhanced habitat at Radipole may encourage it to breed here."

He added that the male bittern's distinction booming call had been heard this spring at Radipole.