The RSPB’s Minsmere nature reserve is a real Noah’s ark for Britain’s wildlife. Minsmere will always be associated with the return of avocets to the UK – nesting on land flooded as part of wartime coastal defence against invasion. It was the place the last breeding marsh harriers nested before their numbers started to recover. Both marsh harriers and avocets are now doing well having started their recoveries at Minsmere. Another species that relied on the ‘arc’ effect of Minsmere is the bittern (illustrated) – Minsmere’s population has been the engine-room of the population recovery of this shy but very loud bird.
The BBC’s One Show has been exploring the world of the bittern and you can see the results on tonight’s show. Here’s the full story.