It should be the easiest bird to spot in the whole of north Norfolk but a hunt for a rare white baby swan proved elusive yesterday.Bird watchers are descending on the Cley Marshes nature reserve to try and spot an unusual mute swan cygnet, which should stick out like a sore thumb in the drab vegetation because of is distinctive bright adult plumage.

It should be the easiest bird to spot in the whole of north Norfolk but a hunt for a rare white baby swan proved tricky yesterday.

Bird watchers are descending on the Cley Marshes nature reserve to try and spot an unusual mute swan cygnet, which should stick out like a sore thumb in the drab vegetation because of is distinctive bright adult plumage.

The unusual creature, known as a Polish swan, is a rarity because only 5pc of all mute swans born in Britain are white, instead of having the usual dark plumage which moults after a couple of years as they turn into adults.

Cley Marshes' latest addition was spotted on Monday night with its protective parents but the feathered family proved to be camera-shy yesterday as the EDP tried to capture them on film.

The white cygnet has gained the distinction of being the first rare bird to be seen from the Norfolk Wildlife Trust's new £675,000 Cley Marshes visitor centre, which is specially designed to give bird watchers a panoramic view of the area.

Ian Forster, centre manager, said: "In our 80- year history we have never had a sighting of a Polish swan recorded here. Everyone at the reserve is very excited about the cygnet and we hope as many people as possible are able to see it."