Just been sent a picture taken today from a back road between Wincanton and Castle Cary of what looks like an Emu wandering around a random field on its own. The lady who saw it thought it was a crane and quickly reversed to take a picture - as it got closer she realised what it was - 'body was fluffy and not feathered' - in the pic there is no sign of a fluffy back end...cue the Rod Hull jokes ...

The bird in question is in fact a Rhea, not an Emu, and has been there for some time, it is owned by the farmer who apparently bought three of them, and the other two (white by all accounts) have escaped.
It is very friendly and photogenic.

Stewart Canham.....

Does anyone know anything about the Rhea/Emu-like bird that can be frequently seen feeding in a field between Wincanton and the Hunter's Lodge pub (beside the old A303)? I thought it was a crane the first time I saw it from the car, but since it seems to be a permanent fixture and can often be seen wandering amongst the sheep in the field, I'm now thinking that it is more likely a captive/feral Rhea or Emu.

I saw this one last Tuesday and like Tessa at first thought it was a Crane but realised that it couldn't have been by the size and lack of tail feathers. I had memories in the back of the mind of someone introducing some unusual birds in the area so discounted it.

Theres one just outside Glastonbury. Dyehouse lane.

I thought it was a crane at first!

We have had a Rhea wandering wild, and looking apparently healthy, in fields to the north of Long Sutton in Hampshire for the last year. Is the Somerset farmer looking for his escaped birds, or has he conveniently 'lost' them? It is sad to see this peaceful bird on its own with no one to care for it.