Purple Heron?

[Buzzardist]

Seen in cheshire woodland copse: A large bird taking off from a pond. The bird was black with a long yellow pointed beak, wingspan in excess of 1 mtr, body length about 1 mtr. The only similar bird I can find is a Purple Heron but there do not appear to be any sightings so far north, nor should it be north at this time of the year.
Any suggestions, or am i right?

[nomad123]

sure it wasn`t a cormorant?

[Kleiber]

There was an article in the papers this week, about a foreign heron that had been blown off course and ended up in Britain. I can't remember where & I've thrown the paper out now, but maybe that's what you saw?

[Buzzardist]

Thanks, Nomad and Pickle, Yes it was a Cormorant.