A juvenile bittern, one of Britain’s rarest and most elusive birds, was unexpectedly seen in gardens, a river and a cemetery in Sheffield. The unusual urban appearance attracted public attention because bitterns normally live in wetlands and reedbeds, while experts said the bird was likely lost or forced to land during migration.

Karine Nohr photographed the bird outside her kitchen before it visited her pond, but it later died after being taken to a wildlife rescue centre, having been found severely undernourished. Bittern numbers have recovered following wetland conservation: 283 booming males were recorded across the UK in 2024, compared with just 11 in 1997, and Yorkshire now has several successful breeding sites.