bittern

A Bittern putting on a spectacular display to prove that it is the undisputed king of the reedbeds. Ron

Not the best of shots but the only time I have seen this many Bitterns together before was when the water was frozen over and they were being fed during hard weather. An amazing sight at Minsmere on Saturday evening. Ron

Bittern.

It was Bitterntastic at Minsmere yesterday. Unfortunately I couldn't fit the third bird in this shot! Ron

Bittern

At one point I thought it may just clime into the hide

The Bittern has been showing very well over the past few weeks,

Bittern

Watched this bird climb up the reeds and stop for a few minutes as it looked all around before flying off from above the reedbed

Was extremely pleased to get this one as the bird approached the hide head on

a bit of a long distance record shot but never seen 2 Bitterns squabble, what I found amusing is that the postured for a long time as they closed in on each other probably 15 mins and boomed as they approached, then without any noticeable sign one attacked and the other fled immediately. The...

Felt pleased that the Bittern boomed several times in front of us but could have done with him in better light and from behind thoes reeds, no pleasing some people :)

This was nice enough to come out of the dry brown grass that was camoflaging him to pose in the open.

From a few months ago

Let go of my tail - please!

Who's a pretty boy!

Bitterns are booming again at Minsmere.

Bittern falling through the thin ice.

I had a short break with my sister at her new house in Marlborough a few weeks ago now. She took me here, there, and everywhere... so one day we ended up at Cotswold Water Park - this is a huuuuge area. There's lots of disused gravel pits given over to various uses, some of which are nature...

Another shot of a Bittern at Minsmere on Sunday, looking rather 'leggy' in this one as it strides through the young reeds. Ron

This Bittern suddenly flew out of the reeds and landed in front of Island Mere hide at Minsmere yesterday. It wasn't especially close and it was a grey cloudy day, so the quality is rather poor, but it is the nearest I have got to a shot of a Bittern in the air. It was great to hear them booming...

I love these birds and I was lucky enough to capture this early stage flight shot, the water trailing from the claws adds to the image in my view.

Bittern

Like the No.9 I wait and wait and wait and then 3 turn up, for years only having fleeting glimpses or in flight then I get 3 feeding Bitterns in 2 weeks who happily stay out n about for hours I reckon in total I had over 8 hours on 3 occasions recently.

Bittern