A black-crowned night heron, a bird rarely seen in the UK, has been recorded by wildlife cameras at the National Trust’s Holnicote Estate near Minehead, Somerset. The sighting is significant because it suggests newly restored freshwater habitats at the estate may be attracting scarce wetland species.

Conservationists have created wetlands at Holnicote, which also support water voles, otters, pine martens and white-tailed eagles. The UK has lost more than 97% of its wetlands through drainage and land-management changes; the National Trust says restoring and expanding them can help wildlife, improve water quality and reduce flood risk. Night herons are mainly nocturnal, and the first confirmed UK breeding record was in Somerset in 2017.