A photographer who was holidaying in Scotland for the summer to visit family has managed to capture some spectacular shots of a very rare bird near Loch Ness.
Kirsty Lloyd, who currently lives in South Wales, explained that while on the trip she was out looking to take pictures of the local wildlife as part of her hobby when they came across the beautiful creature by the side of the road.
She explained: "We spotted the golden pheasant next to the roadside in woodland in Drumnadrochit while we were out on the 30th of August.
"We'd been told that they have been rarely seen in the area but that there was a chance. It was just by luck that we spotted it – much to the excitement of my little boy who loves nature."
The striking creature, recognisable for its golden plumage, is smaller than a pheasant and consider to be quite elusive with around only 100 breeding pairs said to inhabit the UK, according to the RSPB.
Kirsty, who was able to grab three quick snaps of the stunning bird, added: "It's a beautiful bird and looked very majestic in the wooded surroundings. We were ecstatic to see it, its colours are so bold, it's a real eye-catcher."
Delighted by her photos, the amateur photographer shared her images on Facebook where they've had thousands of likes.
"It's great to see the reactions from people online," Kirsty added. "There have been lots of positive comments on my social media after posting my pics in the Facebook group Scotland From The Roadside."
One person wrote: "These birds are so beautiful. I have never seen them wild - only as pets."
While another added: "Wow. Chance in a million. Great photo!"
Other users explained that they aren't native to Scotland and were introduced here from China as "ornamental birds" on some estates, however, over the years some escaped leading to feral populations popping up across Scotland.
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