Herts Mega - 11.6.16

Purple Heron

There I was laying in bed when news broke of a Purple Heron at Rye Meads RSPB reserve. I was quickly washed and dressed and on my way. Not knowing the area of the reserve the bird was favouring I ended up spending £1.50 on the toll going back and forth to where I needed to be! After a phone call with a local I parked up and just as I was a few yards away all the local birders walked away saying it'd just flown! So rather forlornly I wandered over to the last place it was seen and was joined by a few familiar faces. After chatting for a while all hell broke loose as it suddenly loomed into view flying over for a few seconds. Thank goodness for that! It was then picked up further down the path perched up in a tree. Here we all had cracking views of this 1st summer Purple Heron which was only the 9th for Herts. My photo above even made into the Rare Bird Alert weekly round up!