Bitterns

An early afternoon visit to Hanson Hide on the RSPB Reserve led to a new birding experience of two Bitterns in view at the same time. A scan from the hide along an adjacent reedbed edge revealed a Bittern stood at the edge of the reeds seemingly warming itself up in the sunshine against the cold north-easterly gusty wind. What I didn't realise was that a second Bittern was also in the reeds just to the right of the one I was focused on. Bitterns are highly territorial and it looks to me like these two Bitterns were potentially having a bit of a tiff.

The Bittern on the edge of the reeds then lept in to the reed bed seemingly chasing the other Bittern.

There then appeared to be a Bittern of a face off which lasted for 15 minutes before the furthest Bittern disappeared deeper in to the reeds. For all of this time of about 30 minutes, I was the only person in the hide.

On the other side of the reserve there were two beautiful adult Bewick's Swans on Burrowes Pit.

Then of course there are the gulls on Burrowes Pit. Yellow-legged Gull first winter (centre), first winter Caspian Gulls (right) and lower left with Herring Gull and first winter Great Black-backed (rear).