Experts believe that storms and severe weather in North America and Asia have disrupted bird flight paths across the world and swept huge numbers of bird species towards the British Isles.

Birds flying to the other side of the Atlantic or to the Pacific to lay their eggs have been trapped in Britain and Ireland, adding their numbers to native species, and causing great excitement in the bird-watching community.

Local birdwatchers have already observed a total of 442 species in the British Isles this year. The highest number ever seen in one year is 445, in 2008.