[DaveB]

Bittern showing well in the reedbed infront of the North Hide.

Where is that exactly Dave?

[DaveB]

Low Barns is a nature reserve ran by the Wildlife Trust in County Durham.

View the details on their website........


http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/durham/

Nice place!

Thanks Dave, I'll take a look.

[IanF]

**** ! I went to South Gare instead yesterday.

I don't usually bother with the North Hide as you are looking into the sun most of the time. I love the site though

Thanks for the sighting Dave, I will have to pop across this week sometime if I can fit it in.

[columbidae]

I'm just curious, is the bittern in England the same as the American bittern? The Am. bittern is at the top of my wish list, and I am very envious.

[IanF]

Hi Dan,

They are very similar species.

Ours is the Great Bittern - Botaurus stellaris

Yours is the American Bittern - Botaurus lentiginosus

Here's a photo of the Low Barns Bittern

[IanF]

Another shot, this time stood up.

[Osprey]

No completely different but similar

Bittern
Botaurus stellaris

Distribution

Decrease in breeding range noted in 19th and early part of 20th century has continued more recently, with declines reported from many countries in western, central, and southern Europe (Spain east to Balkans). Elsewhere, stable or (in Sweden and Finland) even increasing.
LUXEMBOURG
Bred 19th century; now only irregular migrant.
SWITZERLAND
Still no proof of breeding, but increased tendency to winter.
PORTUGAL
Sporadic breeder; e.g. pair near Setúbal 1987.
BALEARIC ISLANDS
Confined to S‘Albufera de Mallorca, where temporarily extinct 1980s, but recolonized 1991.
GREECE
Present at 2 localities 1985–6; no confirmed nesting.
TUNISIA
Irregular breeder.
ALGERIA
Probably also breeds El Kala in north-east.
Accidental. Iceland, Faeroes, Norway, Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands.
Beyond west Palearctic, extends east to Japan, south to northern China; also breeds eastern half of southern Africa.




American Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosus


Distribution
Breeding widespread in North America, north to c. 55–60°N, south locally to Texas and Florida.
Accidental. Iceland, Faeroes, Britain and Ireland (most records, majority before 1914; September–March, mainly October–November), Channel Islands, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Azores, Canary Islands.


Taken from the BWP on CD-ROM: copyright Oxford University Press.

Osprey

[bcurrie]

Thanks for those photos. Ian. The two Bitterns look a lot alike.

[columbidae]

Thanks Ian for the photos and Osprey for the additional info. I can see that they are very similar species.

[DaveB]

Checked out Low Barns last night. The Bittern is still showing vey well. If anyone has the chance to see this bird, you should go and see it!

[IanF]

Thanks for that Dave.

We went again on Thursday but it must have wandered off. We wondered whether it had left. I still haven't got a good look at it through the scope yet.

[DaveB]

Checked the site agian this afternoon (1245-1445), with no sign of the bird. Talked to the staff at the visitor centre and apparently it went for a walk around the main lake early this morning, so the bird was still there then.