WILLIAM Wroe golf course is currently hosting, the rarest bird to grace the Greenbelt in Flixton.

A Hawfinch was first spotted on Saturday afternoon, and is the first ever sighting of the bird across Trafford.

A twitch has taken place since with birders travelling from all over the North West to see it.

Steve Scrimgeour originally saw the bird on Saturday whilst out on his normal walk around William Wroe, where he records every bird he sees.

He said: “I was scanning through a flock of Redwings, when I noticed the wing bars and beak, two very prominent features on a Hawfinch - I tried to get a picture but a dog flushed all the birds into the trees and I couldn’t re-locate it.

He contacted all the information services used by birders, the Manchester Birding website and spread the word on social media.

Steve had several calls from birdwatcher and on Sunday after another failed search, a birder knocked on Steve's door and it has been spotted again. He headed down to the golf course where a crew had gathered and by later afternoon the bird shot into the open.

Steve said: "William Wroe has now been etched into birding history for generations to come.

“A Hawfinch is a Greater Manchester rarity, so I have had to fill in a record of my sighting and pass it on to the County recorder.

“I am hopeful this bird will stick around as seed has been sown around the area its frequenting most and more will be sown later in the week”

Steve has also recently spotted Kingfisher on the grounds.

He said: “Obviously this has brought William Wroe further into the spotlight as the site is earmarked for development in the GMSF”

"I am an active member of Save Flixton Greenbelt, if this adds any muscle to their argument that building should not take place on any greenbelt anywhere.

“I have offered take all our local councillors out and show them what this area holds and that offer till stands, maybe now they will take me up on it."