A rare purple heron has been spotted by a birdwatcher at a Derbyshire nature reserve. Ian Elliott said he was "chuffed to bits" to see the juvenile bird at Willington Wetlands on Thursday evening. The RSPB said purple herons were usually sighted in southern Europe and some parts of northern Africa. The local wildlife trust said it was only the eighth time a purple heron had been recorded in the county. Mr Elliott - a keen birdwatcher - said he had never even heard of a purple heron until last week. He said there had been a few reported sightings of one at Willington Wetlands so he went to have a look. "I just sat up for four or five hours - I was in the hide - and then all of a sudden it just flew from left to right, right along the length of the lake. "Luckily I had my camera ready - I was chuffed to bits," he said. Mr Elliott said the bird was very distinctive. "It looked a lot darker and you can see it has got purple tinges to its wings and on its back. "You could see straight away that it wasn't a normal grey heron," he said. The RSPB said: "Purple herons are rare migrants to the UK, with around 20 records per year. "Their normal breeding range is southern Europe, and some parts of northern Africa, but a pair bred successfully for the first time in England in 2010 at RSPB Dungeness. "It's a bird likely to be seen more frequently in the UK in the future as climate change pushes their range further north." First purple herons fly the nest Cause of blaze which forced residents to flee Derbyshire village still a mystery Derbyshire's poshest village is named among England's most desirable places to live for second year running Middle-aged Derbyshire dad battered ex-wife's new lover in pub Hour-by-hour Derby weather forecast amid thunderstorm warning Buxton dad targets Three Peaks in 24 hours to help fellow cancer... |