Monday 22 January 2018

That Darn Bittern

Friday was the only day the groups didn't go to Tophill Low.  We went to Ness End Farm instead.  As we walked to the first hide we noticed a flock of a dozen Long-tailed Tits flying along the hedge.  There was just time to snatch a few images of these little missiles.  A Cetti's Warbler was heard singing briefly, the only time we heard this species during the day.   From the first hide there were a few ducks, and a female Goldeneye provided much consternation.  The walk along the arch of hawthorns resulted in 3 Greenfinches, which may have been attracted by the garden feeders beyond.  There were quite a few Tufted Ducks, Shoveler, Teal and Little Grebes on Decoy Lake.  There didn't appear to be much at Chowder Ness apart from some Wigeon, and even these appeared to have gone by the afternoon.  A walk along the riverbank resulted in a pair of confiding Goldfinches, and then we saw Bullfinches when we got into the reserve.  Both groups spent a long time in Reedy Hide.  This is where we got the best views of Marsh Harriers and Kingfisher.  When we got back to the start the couple from Osset decided to return to the main hide.  Everyone else departed, then my phone went to inform me the Bittern was showing well from the hide.  Unfortunately, there was no one left to pass on the message.  The morning group saw 41 species, not including the singing Cetti's Warbler.
Bittern (c) 2018 Mike Woods
 Little pink and black missiles
 Just one
 Robin (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Kingfisher
 Male Kingfisher (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Goldfinch
 Ditto
 Redshank
 Redshank (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Bullfinch
 Ditto
 Bullfinch (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Marsh Harrier (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Marsh Harrier (c) 2018 Mike Woods
 Marsh Harrier
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
What follows are the Bitterns taken when everyone else had left! 
Bittern (c) 2018 Mike Woods
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Record shot of Bittern (c) 2018 Mike Woods
 Last, and certainly least (c) 2018 Mike Woods

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