BITTERN

13/03/10
upton warren moors pool

a check of the north moors was uneventful.

so down to the west hide. a decent flock of reed bunting was in the small willows behind the feeders(10c), 2 male cetti's warbler belted out there amazing song, a scopeing of the islands produced 16 curlew and 4 OYC, 2 LBBG were still at the north end of the pool, the usual birds were presant teal, shoveler, pochard, tufties etc
but i kept hope scanning the reeds;
at 6:30c as it was almost dark, i spotted the unmistakable flight of a heron over the reeds up the top end, it flew along the north shore and i saw the bird had pale coverts(compared to primarys)

BITTERN flying

im not sure whether my dad got onto the bittern as the light was pritty dire and the bittern was quite hard to pick out, as usual though, the bird turned around and flew onto the north moors.

a male sparrowhawk, very brielfy perched on the ground feeder earlier on and a few water rail were sqwawking in the reeds

as we left the hide, a song thrush greeted us fairwell with its great song.

spring is truily on the way
MB