A spectacular picture of a curious longtail came about by “sheer luck”, according to Natalie Dyrli, who photographed the bird over the weekend.

Ms Dyrli was enjoying Saturday’s fine weather on the beach below Grand Atlantic in Warwick with her boyfriend Tim Price and friend Vanessa Conway, when the bird came in for a closer look.

“The longtails were flying up to nests in the rocks behind us and flying back out to the water,” she said.

The iconic springtime bird flew down “right in front of us” as the group had an Easter picnic of fishcakes and hot cross buns.

Ms Dyrli’s boyfriend caught a shot of her taking the bird’s picture with her Samsung S5 phone.

The photo created a sensation after she shared it online, prompting requests for prints, but Ms Dyrli said she was not a professional photographer: “I just love taking pictures,” she said — describing the shot as akin to winning the lottery.

• To ask for a copy, e-mail natalie@westportarchitecture.bm