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'Penguin' spotted on Dover promenade stuns residents

It might be freezing outside but you still wouldn't expect to see a penguin wandering around Dover.

Residents have been left stunned at the sight of a mysterious black and white bird on the promenade.

Stephen Davies caught the creature on camera from his parked car.

He posted the video on Facebook captioning it: "There's a penguin on the promenade. You don't see many of them around here."

It became a social media hit, attracting 157 comments and 227 shares.

The bird was seen on Monday waddling along the path before belly-flopping to the ground for a rest.

One pedestrian is seen walking past it in the video, and almost stops in their tracks in shock.

A seabird thought to be a penguin was spotted in Dover. Picture: Stephen Davies
A seabird thought to be a penguin was spotted in Dover. Picture: Stephen Davies

However, the bird is most likely a penguin look-a-like called a guillemot, which has been spotted in other parts of the county before, including Ramsgate and Folkestone.

In December, a jogger was shocked to see what he thought was a penguin at Ramsgate beach.

In a video of the encounter, he expresses his shock, saying: "I've just done a run around the beach. Honestly, is that a f****** penguin? Looks like a f****** penguin, mate."

Similarly in Folkestone, residents agreed that a similar sighting on the beach in January 2021 was not a penguin but a guillemot.

The RSPB says the guillemot is one of a number of birds which nests in cliffs on the UK coastline.

It was seen wandering along the promenade Picture: Stephen Davies
It was seen wandering along the promenade Picture: Stephen Davies

"It comes to land only to nest, spending the rest of its life at sea, where it is vulnerable to oil spills," its website states.

"Dark brown and white, not as black as the similar razorbill, it has a 'bridled' form with a white ring round the eye and stripe behind it."

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