From Ghost Town to Caernarfon Town - A British First - Gwynedd, June 2026

I'll never forget where I was when news broke of the first British Western Reef Heron on 6th June 2026. I was wandering around the 2-Tone museum in Coventry, on a family day out that also involved a visit to Coventry cathedral.

At the 2-Tone Museum in Coventry

The magnificant Coventry Cathedral

Whist both venues were fantastic, as most twitchers will know, being somewhere and not in a position to drop everything and go is pure torture.  Working full time I'm used to this scenario, but this was particulary hard given it was a Saturday.  I actually did well and didn't mention it to anyone until we had left the Cathedral and were on our way home. "I thought you were a bit distracted" was the subsquent comment.

On working out the logistics of dropping the family home and leaving again, I realised time was against me.  The bird was continually being reported at Foryd Bay south of Caernarfon, but I worked out that leaving Coventry with a 2 hour drive home in the late afternoon, followed by a 3 hour drive through north Wales, was cutting it fine to get there before dusk.  Aftger a quick 10 minute turnaround at home to get the optics gear in the car, I was on my way.

After what seemed like a lifetime I arrived on site to see only a handful of birders along the road overlooking the bay, and no-one seemed to be looking at anything in particular.  I eventually found someone who was actually viewing the bird, and they quickly shouted that it was flying north. I raised by binoculars to see the Reef Heron flying out of view.

Although I'd seen the bird, it was brief and distant, so I decided an overnight stay in the car was required.  The plan was to see it first thing Sunday and then leave early morning.  After a night with virtually no sleep (the night was cold and, given it was mid-summer, short), I started at dawn scanning the estuary where the bird was last seen.  It wasn't present, so I headed south to view from near the ide where it had spent a lot of the previous day, with more and more birders who were arriving.

After a couple of hours there was no sign, then news came through that it had been refound below Caernarfon Castle, a short drive away.  Everyone jumped in cars, and headed for the Castle, and soon the bird was showing incredibly well in the small estuary.

Western Reef Heron

The Heron worked its way up the narrow estuary until it was out of view, and it was time to head home. I had a birthday celebration to attend at midday, so it was nice to celebrate with a few drinks in the afternoon.

The bird was subsequently seen for around 10 days in various locations in North Wales.

Thanks for looking.