An ornithologist has been given a unique up-close-and-personal experience with one of the Island's most secretive and unusual visitors.

Bermuda Audubon Society president, Andrew Dobson, headed down to Devonshire Marsh last week after he spotted two species of bats hunting for prey at dusk.

His patience was rewarded when a Hoary Bat flew right over his head and landed on a nearby tree, giving him the chance to get a great photo of the mammal.

“I had noticed two Red Bats and one Hoary Bat flying over Devonshire Marsh last week, so I took my daughter to the same location the following evening in the hope of showing her,” Mr Dobson said.

“Very luckily the large Hoary Bat, with a wingspan of 15 inches flew right over our heads and landed in a nearby cedar tree.

“It hung onto the tree long enough for a quick photo before flying off over the marsh.”

Several bat species pass through Bermuda during the fall migration.

Hoary Bats are considered one of the most beautiful bats in North America and get their name from the frosted or “hoary” colouring of their body fur.

It is also one of the largest North American bats with distinctive yellow fur on its throat and short rounded ears that are edged in black.

These mammals use echolocation for navigation and to detect prey, especially moths.