[Sy V]

I'd like to offer these up as there were slight differences of opinion about their IDs, in the hide at Upton Warren this morning.
My money's going on:
Snipe (not Jack Snipe)
Curlew (not Whimbrel)
and U/I (not Bittern) - sorry this is the only shot I took.

[Cristian Mihai]

Common Snipes, Curlews and...there is a bird in the third pic?!

[mikejack82]

I agree with Snipe and Curlew cannot make out a bird in pic 3 though...

[Sy V]

Cristian

That's exactly what I'm getting at. There have been a couple of Bittern showing well at UW this month. Everybody is eager to spot there own bird. I was directed to this (?) at frame centre by an apparently knowledgeable gentleman suggesting that it was the Bittern.
I couldn't see it either...

[Sy V]

Michael

Likewise.
And I meant 'their own bird' in my last post!

[Colin]

Sy V,
I think that your money is safe.

The third pic reminded me of a phrase my old art teacher used to use many years ago. If you painted a sky picture, he would say that it was a picture of an aeroplane, out of sight. So, at best this could be a Bittern, out of sight.

[David Roche]

It would appear he was fooled by an overhanging reed stem...

[dantheman]

There could well be a Bittern in there... a few metres in and you'd never know!!

Possibly there had been one and it had moved back out of sight..... But if it was the same gentleman who identified the 'Jack snipe' and 'Whimbrel', then unfortunately I think it's just Common Reed (Phragmites australis) and not a Bittern lol

[phil baber]

http://youngkentbirder.blogspot.com/...ognisable.html

Here's another example of a not Bittern. (Second photo down from top). Check the Coot in the background for size comparison.
Anybody else got photos of "Not-Bitterns" (Botaurus phragmitis)?
Would make a booming great thread!

(I called a bit of mud as a Water Pipit already this Winter!)

[deborah4]

Great pic of the Snipe, I can count 8, anyone see more?

[tophillbirder]

3rd picture reminds of being at North Cave Wetlands, E.Yorks a year or two again. This chap runs into the turret hide excited about a possible Bittern. Followed him round to the reedbed to be shown a Bittern shaped clump of reeds but the poor chap won't give in and I politely had walk away in the end. Agree with the waders and it's possible a Bittern is or was in the pictures at some time.

[dantheman]

Originally Posted by deborah4

Great pic of the Snipe, I can count 8, anyone see more?

Possibly 10.... could only see 6 for ages, then found the other 2. And then another 2 'possibles'. (Or they could be Corn Dollies....)

[mikfoz]

There's no Bittern in the third shot. I "see" Bitterns all the time as I scan the reeds only to lock on and see a bent over clump of reeds.

Guess your friend couldn't see the reeds.

[Sy V]

Originally Posted by deborah4

Great pic of the Snipe, I can count 8, anyone see more?

Deborah!

On taking the photo I could see 4.
When I cropped it and tweaked it pre-posting I saw 6.
Further lengthy examination gives me 8 and a corn dolly - thanks. You've managed to convince me that I'll never make a decent spotter while I have these eyes and my bum faces south.
Having now checked the series of pictures and whole frame RAW files that's a top count.
Good work!

[MLoyko]

I thought this thread was interesting so I commented

I think what the gentleman saw was in fact the top of the reed like everyone else stated. I stared at it trying to get a resemblance of a bird out of it and finally did. If you start at the top bushy part of the reed and come back to the left it resembles a birds head, the hole in the plant even gives it the appearance of having an eye.

That's funny

[Quercus]

Sometimes it makes it easier if you turn the picture upside-down... and look in the reflection.

.....but not in this case!

[dddiver]

It's behind the elephant

[Colin]

There is another trick to looking for Bitterns and other things deep in reeds. That is, focus your bins on the reeds nearest you and then juggle with the focus so that you get the sharp focus at varying distances into the reeds (also works for looking through tree branches).

So, I put my bins around my neck, backed off across the room and looked at my puter screen and sure enough........not a Bittern in sight

[billsbirding]

Hi, I am certain I can see a Bittern in this shot. I've attached your shot and circled what I think is the Bittern. It has that Bittern like posture and body with streaks down it but I'll leave it with you to decide!

[gambirder]

Guys what are you all talking about??

In the third shot there is CLEARLY an ABSOLUTE STUNNER!!! In addition to the not-bittern there's also CLEARLY a not-American Bittern!!!!

[dantheman]

Originally Posted by gambirder

Guys what are you all talking about??

In the third shot there is CLEARLY an ABSOLUTE STUNNER!!! In addition to the not-bittern there's also CLEARLY a not-American Bittern!!!!

Having trouble finding it- where is it in relation to the Sora Rail??

[davem]

In pic 3 can anyone else see a partially obscured 1w LBBG having a kip??

[phil baber]

Originally Posted by gambirder

Guys what are you all talking about??

In the third shot there is CLEARLY an ABSOLUTE STUNNER!!! In addition to the not-bittern there's also CLEARLY a not-American Bittern!!!!

I'm chuffed that the "Not Bittern" has entered the English language. At least i did one useful thing in this life!

Some years ago i was told that some birders had been watching a Wryneck for some time. Until one of them got up and kicked the lump of dirt across the field!
It was a Not Wryneck you see...

I have quite a good Not Bird List. And what about the rest of you?

Anyone else got any stories, or. dare i say...confessions?

[gambirder]

Originally Posted by dantheman

Having trouble finding it- where is it in relation to the Sora Rail??

Forget the Sora - best marker is the Slender-billed Curlew. Find that and it's a piece of cake

[Quercus]

Which SBC, the one or the right, or the flock on the left?