SHOCK!!!!!!

16/01/09
or the first time in age's i acted upon 'preasant last few days' news, but if i did get the bird in question then it would be an area MEGA.
at bewdley in the AM had 5 goosander fly over all heading south.

then i popped into kidderminster to see if the collins bird guide was in stock but they didnt have it

SO, now to

HURCOTT POOL

this pool is a treasure trove, the habitats are diverse and looks amazing
for about 15 mins i scanned from the car park, but there was nothing on the almost frozen lake or in the reed's.

a rambler(with big birding interest) said that the best viewpoint was further up, so we follow him to the point, a good view of the surrounding reedbeds produced nothing, my dad had a brief wonder off to look around while i stopped and scanned.....

a further 5 mins passed and my dad reappeared, and stood about 50m down the path from me talking to the ramber, then i saw it BITTERN........., it flew for about a metre then dropped onto a patch of flattened reeds showing quite well as you could see its whole body. my dad and the rambler quickly appeared and i pointed out the bird, now slowly working its way left behind a tree. i quickly ran off to a closer viewpoint and scanned where the bird had come down, bugger, its gone back in........

about a minuite passed then i noticed the smallist movement right in front of me about 15 metres away. OH MY GOD

i immidiatly grabbd my camera and rested my bins on the fence, this is what i saw:

there stood the BITTERN, in full view just 15 metres away, the only thing i regret was not bringing my scope(not the best idea when you go into kiddie town centre). a dog walker went by and i asked him to tell the pair i left behind to come down......

they came down and were also gobsmacked, who could believe it, a bittern this close, and in kidderminster, WOW, for about 30 mins, the bird stayed in this location briefly moveing to get closer to the water, ive never seen one walking in the open before and now reaslise exacly how slow the birds are, they live in a slow mo in a fast paced world.

while we gawked at the bird i continued takeing videos of the bird as i dought i will get this close to another in some time...

i know this video isnt the sturdiest but ther bittern does move watch.....

i also heard a water rail, a nuthatch was seen and an amazing roosting flock of 60c magpie in trees opposite where i was stood, something to do with the weather maybe? never seen it before.

i am trying to get over there again next weekend, and with my new scope(should be getting it this saturday). cant wait for both.

MB