A WHITE-TAILED eagle was spotted flying over a Dorset heathland in a “truly special encounter”.

Franke Gamble was patrolling Canford Heath, Poole, in his role as a warden when he saw the “incredible” sight overheard.

He said sightings have become increasingly common since white-tailed eagles after the “fantastic” reintroduction efforts” on the Isle of Wight.

However, Frankie, who is a natural habitats assistant warden with BCP Council, said he had not seen one fly so low.

He was initially alerted to the “familiar” alarm calling from several gulls, which he assumed was in response to a bird of prey.

In fact, he witnessed them harassing an enormous white-tailed eagle.

Frankie told the Daily Echo: “When they are seen, white-tailed eagles are often found soaring high – but this individual flew very low, almost directly above my head and into the distance flying south-westerly, hounded by a determined contingent of gulls.

“In my excitement I had my binoculars on it with one hand whilst filming a video for others to enjoy in the other.

“I managed to get a superb view of the bird’s large yellow bill and its spectacular plumage. Even on a phone video you can see the bird’s size relative to the gulls and how close it was.”

Frankie said he had a distant sighting of an eagle earlier this year at Hamm Common but the Canford Heath episode in a more built-up area was his best encounter to date.

He added: “Sightings of white-tailed eagles across Poole Harbour and Dorset are becoming increasingly common after the fantastic reintroduction efforts on the Isle of Wight and hopefully this incredible species can once again thrive on the south coast where the used to roam before they were persecuted into local extinction.”

White-tailed eagles were released on the Isle of Wight as part of a reintroduction project by Forestry England in a bid to bring the breed back to the country after an absence of over 240 years. The plan is to released up to 60 birds over five years.

The eagles are Britain’s largest birds of prey with a wingspan of up to 2.5 meters and were once widespread across England before they were wiped out.

Dorset Police was criticised earlier this year over its handling of an initial investigation into the poisoning of an eagle after the bird had been found dead in North Dorset.

Despite finding high levels of rat poison brodifacoum in the eagle, named G461, officers dropped the investigation, stating tests were “inconclusive” and it was not possible to confirm if a criminal offence had been committed.

As reported last month, a specialist investigator has been brought in by police following a widespread backlash, including from the RSPB.