Rare bittern spotted at Llandrindod Wells Lake in Powys

The bittern is very difficult to see as it moves silently through reeds at the water's edge as it looks for fish and other prey.

One of Britain's rarest birds has been spotted at a lake in mid Powys.

The bittern, a member of the heron family, was seen resting in the reeds at at Llandrindod Wells Lake.

Reeds were planted at the lake as part of a major regeneration scheme by Powys council.

"The presence of the bittern proves once again that the efforts made to restore the ecological balance of the lake are working," said Powys council cabinet member, Graham Brown.

"With such a rich ecology now developed, it is no wonder bird watchers are coming from across Britain to see what is on offer, which is also boosting local tourism."

A local bird watcher spent an hour waiting to take this photo, of the rare bittern in the reeds around Llandrindod Wells Lake

The RSPB estimates there are only about 80 breeding pairs of bitterns in the UK, with 600 of the birds spending the winter in Britain.

The bird was spotted by members of the Radnor Bird Blog, with one exclaiming: "Couldn't believe it - had to pinch myself!"