More than a thousand twitchers travelled to Somerset this weekend after a rare bird was spotted for only the third time in the UK . They descended on the West Country when a Hudsonian Godwit made a 4,000 mile detour from South America . It is believed the large shorebird - that was heading to its breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska - was last seen in the UK in 1988 . The Hudsonian Godwit was spotted at the Shapwick Heath in Somerset and drew scores of bird watchers . More than a thousand bird watchers and photographers lined the water 's edge to catch a glimpse of the bird . The wader - with a long beak and spindly legs - is now inhabiting the same space as its English counterparts , the Black Tailed Godwit at the Shapwick Heath , in Somerset . The commotion started when a birdwatcher identified one of the rare birds on the Somerset Levels and word got around . Over the weekend , more than 1,000 twitchers had lined the water 's edge . The wader is now inhabiting the same space as its English counterparts , the Black Tailed Godwit . Photographers line the water 's shore to take the perfect shot of the rare bird , only in the UK for the third time . Each spring the Hudsonian Godwit heads from South America to its breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska . In good weather , many birds make the trip south without stopping . A small number migrate in the wrong direction . These birds forage by probing in shallow water . They mainly eat insects and crustaceans . Both parents look after the young birds , who find their own food and are able to fly within a month of hatching . Their numbers were reduced by hunting at the end of the 19th century . One birdwatcher Michael Trew , 70 , said word spread about the bird via an online forum at 7.30am yesterday . The retired quantity surveyor said : 'By the time I got there at about 9.30am there was the best part of 200 people there , but about 1,000 had turned up by the time I left . ' I think the last time anyone saw one of these it was about 30 years ago . 'It 's not a migrating bird - it 's not supposed to be here at all - and we can only assume it is one that has got lost . 'We only think that it has got mixed up in a flock of migrating birds and made its way here . It is quite a strange affair . We do n't know how long it has even been here . 'It was spotted by someone who thought 'that one looks a bit different ' but these things have to be verified before you get people driving from all over the place to see it . 'Someone came and checked and the word went out about 7.30am . ' I have only been bird watching for five years so it is quite good to have seen one - some people will have waited 30 years . 'They have just built a new car park down there which is just as well because it was filled and then double parked . 'It was a really nice day with everyone down there . '
Rare bird was heading from South America to breeding grounds in Alaska . Large shorebird - with long beak and spindly legs - last seen in UK in 1988 . Over the weekend , more than 1,000 twitchers had lined the water 's edge .