Rare birds make Feltham their home

A pair of rare birds have been causing a stir at Kempton Park nature reserve where they appear to have started nesting.

The two bitterns, usually found in wide expanses of reeds in Norfolk and Somerset, were first spotted at the nature reserve in Sunbury in early February.

Staff thought they would head north or to continental Europe to breed, but their foghorn-like call can still be heard booming across the reserve.

The bittern is one of the most elusive birds in the British Isles in 1997 there were only 11 male bitterns left in England.

Conservation warden Kristine Boudreau said: "We are now crossing our fingers in the hope the bitterns will stay with us for the summer.

"If these two rare birds were just spending the winter here, you would expect them to have flown off by now, either to continental Europe or further north to breed.

"Every day that passes with the bitterns still in these reeds strengthens the chances of the pair actually breeding at the reserve."

The pair have been feasting on eels and sticklebacks at the newly-planted reedbeds at the reserve, run by Thames Water.

Mrs Boudreau added: "We feel very lucky to have had these rare birds as our guests and it has been a real pleasure watching them enjoying the eels and sticklebacks that our wetlands have to offer.

"Bitterns are famously difficult to spot and we have been straining our eyes to pick out their brown plumage from amongst the reeds but they have been making themselves heard."

Thames Water has spent £300,000 over the last 10 years creating the nature reserve, which is now recognised as one of Europe's premier locations for wetland birds where 156 different species have been spotted.

Kempton Park nature reserve is at Felthamhill Road, Feltham. For more information email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it