Returning Bittern

[aeshna5]

This afternoon I'd been told the first Bittern of the winter had returned at the Lonon Wetland Centre + what a show- off it was! No hiding in the reedbeds, but standing in a ditch beside a channel on the grazing marsh. Often the neck was stretched up + the head tilted up as though viewing his admirers in the hide. After c30 minutes it flew across the channel when a Crow came to investigate + the Bittern inflated its neck so as to appear more threatening. My group couldn't believe their luck!

Also had pleasure of c80 Fieldfares dropping in, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel + still quite a few Common Darters despite frosts last 2 nights. Also 1 Red Admiral + several Harlequin Ladybirds.

[Tormentil]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

a Crow came to investigate + the Bittern inflated its neck so as to appear more threatening.

A case of "Once Bittern, twice shy" ??

[mrs fish]

Lucky you

I keep saying one day I will see a bittern

[aeshna5]

Mrs Fish- you live in probably the best county for Bitterns- at least 20 of the 44 booming males this year. Get yourself down to Minsmere- I rarely fail to see one there, though they are often flight views only!

They are the most amazing birds to watch- just oozing eccentricity + charisma!

[kite1035]

Luck you must have had I spent the morning at the wetland centre and not a sight of the bittern nice flock of fieldfare siskins and a caspian gull. I remember this site when it was just the four reservoir basins it was quite good then now it is just brill well worth a visit

Kite1035

[SteveHL]

A Bittern has been reported at Lakeford Lakes in Suffolk today.

[GuyF]

I am so excited, I just saw my first ever Bittern about 4 hours ago. Strangest thing is that it is on a fairly small lake in the middle of an industrial estate. I'm definetely going back again this winter to see it. Such amazing birds.

[smartie]

We saw one a couple of weeks ago on the mere at Holy Island. Real beginners' luck - first time in a hide with our newly-acquired scope.

Spent all day yesterday at Wicken Fen and didn't repeat the experience, though there was a fair amount of other activity - including two trees full of about 25 roosting cormorants, which looked very bizarre indeed. I knew they did sometimes roost in trees but have only ever seen them previously at the coast. No photo, unfortunately, as I forgot to take extra batteries for my camera. I'll grow up into a proper photographer one day...

[mrs fish]

Shame you didn't get a pic of the cormorants in the trees, that must be a weird sight, very prehistoric looking I would think

[smartie]

Originally Posted by mrs fish

Shame you didn't get a pic of the cormorants in the trees, that must be a weird sight, very prehistoric looking I would think

It was quite prehistoric looking - made more so by the fact that the main roosting tree was dead and blanched. Rather like the pictures of vultures you see from India.

I'll try to make another visit shortly and see if I can do better with the photography next time. It looked like their regular roost.