Last updated at 13:15, Friday, 12 February 2010

ONE of Britain’s rarest birds has been sighted in Prudhoe.

Experienced birdwatchers have been amazed to see a bittern striding through marshland at Low Prudhoe, close to the Prudhoe bypass.

Hexhamshire’s John Carson spotted the scarce heron, famous for its mating call, while driving along the bypass at the weekend.

He said: “I couldn’t believe it. It was just standing there, and it only flew away when I slowed right down beside it. I thought it was a bittern, and went straight to the bird books when I got home.”

There have since been other sightings of the bird, which is on the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds’s red list of endangered species.

There are thought to be only 75 breeding males in the country, and between 75 and 150 birds passing through.

Bittern have bright, pale, buffy-brown plumage covered with dark streaks and bars.

Breeding males make a remarkable far-carrying, booming mating call in the spring, which can be heard up to five kilometres away.

The bittern sighting follows excitement last year, when a white stork made itself at home in the district for several weeks.

First published at 09:44, Friday, 12 February 2010
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk