text: 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 don'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.'
target: 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 .