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Monday 30 June 2014

Little Bittern-2



I could not get back last Tuesday to try for the Little Bittern so at 05:45 on  Wednesday Morning I arrived at the hide to hear that it had been seen again some birders had to leave for work so I was able to get a seat this time just got the camera out of the bag when the call of  "flying left" so rather than try to get some shots I just got a very good view of the bird flying a semi circle over the lake and disappear to the left , well that's it I thought  it's in the bag and not even 6 in the morning. I decided to stay around for the day why not as it was being  seen albeit a flyover , the warden sitting on the left could hear the bird calling it was rather feint but you could hear the bird change direction as it called and with the distant rush hour traffic and the odd plane taking off and the gulls constantly screaming it was a wonder it could be heard at all. We sat patiently the the bird could be heard off to the west and a couple of minutes later MN picked it out sitting up in the reeds , not visible from my position so he kindly let me into his seat and I got some hasty shots before in went . I did manage to see it another 4 times from then on , the first time no one else saw it  as it dropped down well over the far side , again I picked it up as it came nearer only one other person saw it , it was getting frustrating with the hide full and many not yet having seen it , again I picked it up as it broke cover some 30yds from where it had dropped in yet again no one saw it and I think they thought I was getting it wrong all the time . Well I said at least we know where it is and being on the edge of the wood at that side it would most probably fly back across the pond , one or two people seemed to think this was going to be a very large bird one remarked we should be able to see the reeds move as it walked through. Anway after only ten minutes I picked the bird up again and indeed it did fly around in another arc and everyone got onto it at last .I left and went to the west hide where it was much quieter staying there an hour or so from where i walked the circular route and returned to the main hide it had just been seen but I never heard or saw it again for the next hour or so before I left. 
Could I please make an appeal to those that are not Northumbrian Natural History Society Members  to at least think about joining it's from £30 per annum , with lectures, meetings, the reserve to visit , and a fantastic library access it's a small price to pay , without the society's  management this site would be lost.
 Grey Wagtail drops in near the hide there is no wader area as such
Unable to access the flight shots as yet but on the back of the camera they are all distant , this is one as it sits in the reeds and I posted one on Birdguides, not much for all day but at least I saw it many had to leave without getting even a glimpse

3 comments:

Yellowbelly in Exile said...

Patience and persistence rewarded.

Northumbrian Birding said...

Cheers Andrew it was a good day with some faces I had not seen for sometime !!!!

Northumbrian Birding said...

Cheers Andrew it was a good day with some faces I had not seen for sometime !!!!