Finally, after a week or so of missing out, today I caught up with a sound that I have been waiting to hear. The sound? A blooming bittern of course!
The male bittern in question was calling from reedbed five (at the back and to the right of the Mere). And what a call! A resounding, earthy, deep, arresting, echoing, solid sort of sound.
More scientifically, it’s a penetrating series of extremely low tones that can carry for kilometers. If you are close enough, you may hear the inhalation that precedes the ‘boom’. During this 'gasp' the bittern traps air only for it to be projected from its oesophagus and focused by the powerful muscles that surround it, as – ‘uh whumm!’
Trust me, once heard you will not easily forget it!
The first avocets talking cover beside a sleeping shelduck at Adwick Washland today from Gary Stones. Thanks Gary.
The news from Wombwell Ings today was that the yellow-browed warbler and the fire crest were still present. A little egret was also reported here along with one goldcrest, three long-tailed tit, one wren and a grey wagtail. My thanks to Keith Saunders for most of those details.
Broomhill Flash provided views of: one hawfinch, six pochard, one drake goldeneye, two mute swan, two oystercatcher, six little grebe, twenty-one teal and five wigeon.
At Adwick Washland today were two avocet (the first of the year here), one little egret, three ringed plover, around 150 lapwing, two snipe, eight plus redshank, one white-fronted goose, one pink-footed goose and three shelduck. Thanks to Gary Stones for those numbers.
Finally, from Bolton Ings, John Seeviour reported: two mute swan, one great crested grebe, nine mallard, six gadwall, six shoveler, twenty-nine wigeon (over), twenty-six tufted duck, four pochard, one goldeneye, ninety-two black-headed gull, 113 coot, one buzzard and two green woodpecker. Thanks John.
Another from Gary. This time two ringed plover sitting out the rain.
In Old Moor’s Bird Garden and Tree Sparrow Farm today were: blackbird, robin, great tit, tree sparrow, long-tailed tit, blue tit, bullfinch, chaffinch, reed bunting, collared dove, dunnock, and greenfinch.
On the Reedbed Trail was that bittern of course along with two singing male Cetti’s warblers, one bearded tit, reed bunting, tufted duck, teal, little grebe, cormorant, stock dove, shoveler and gadwall.
On (or over) the Mere were: not one but two Mediterranean gulls, four (or more) oystercatcher, one dunlin, two buzzard, thirteen cormorant, one lesser black-backed gull and two herring gull. With them were teal, wigeon, tufted duck, pochard and shoveler. Oh, and precisely 1,200 black-headed gull (I counted them twice).
'Black-head, black-head, Med' – a timely comparison from Ian Morris. Thanks Ian.
STOP PRESS – I was just about to conclude my ramblings when I received a message that the bittern count today was TWO. Even better.
And, at the risk of invalidating his car insurance, just intercepted a tweet from Nigel Smith of a very impressive starling murmuration of 5000 or so birds over the reedbeds at Old Moor as seen from the Dearne Valley Parkway!
With sunset fifteen minutes ago, surely there can be no more for this evening! But, given the commitment of Barnsley’s birders, you never know…
Until next time.