BRITAIN'S most spectacular bird of prey has been spotted in the region's skies once more.

The first golden eagle to be spotted in County Durham for many years has made a majestic appearance over the Pennines.

Birdwatchers have reported sightings of the eagle flying over the uplands of Teesdale as recently as Sunday.

Some reports suggest the bird may have been in the area for several weeks.

Now there are hopes that its arrival may act as a boost to the area's economy, which is still recovering from the ravages of the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

The sightings have been highlighted by BirdGuides, a South Yorkshire company which produces CD-roms and runs an information service based on reports from ornithologists all over Britain.

Because the eagle is only about a year old, it is impossible for birdwatchers to determine its sex.

But Russell Slack, the firm's bird news services manager, said: "We had two sightings reported to us last week and one on Sunday.

"Golden eagles are an unusual bird for County Durham and this will cause quite a lot of excitement among birdwatchers," he said.

Birdwatchers are usually reluctant to reveal the existence of golden eagles to avoid the unwanted attentions of illegal egg collectors and those seeking to protect game birds such as grouse.

However, BirdGuides believes that large-scale interest in the lone Teesdale eagle could deter wrongdoers, and a spokesman for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said that was why local birdwatchers had decided to make public the information.

He said: "This is an immature bird, so it is too young to breed and it is also ranging widely. The birders put out the information because they felt the more people know about it, the better protection it will receive."

The vast majority of Britain's golden eagles are in Scotland, and the RSPB spokesman said: "It is very encouraging that this golden eagle has been spotted south of the border."

Gary Wilson, who runs the High Force Hotel, near Middleton in Teesdale, said visitors often came to the area to enjoy the wildlife, including the endangered black grouse.

He said: "Anything like this is welcome. People do like to come and take part in birdwatching. Only at the weekend we had 20 birdwatchers on a trip."

Historical records covering the early decades of the 20th Century make no mention of golden eagles in County Durham and it is not thought that there have been many sightings in the county over the past half century.

* BirdGuides runs an information line on 08000 350444 and information is also available on its website at www.birdguides.co