Last Saturday (4th Dec) I was coppicing with some vols when I received a phone call from Eric, one of our regular visitors - he was watching a bittern from Reedbed Hide! We couldn't go immediately, but an hour later we crept into the hide and it was still there, on the bank about 20m away. We watched it for ages and I took a few photos, before it walked into the reeds by the mere.
I haven't worked out how to post photos in this message, but here's a link to the photos page of the Cambridgeshire Bird Club website (scroll down to 4th Dec): http://cambsbirdclub.blogspot.com/
Bitterns are an occasional visitor to Fowlmere NR, but this is the third winter running when one has been present for some of the time.
Doug
Hi Doug
I am posting messages to the forum, but thought I would bring your blog to life too with some scintillating comment!
Just wanted to let you know that I am up to 59 varieties at Fowlmere for the year, and it would have been 60 if that Lapwing hadn't chased off the Green Sandpiper this morning! To think, I was late for work because of that!
Did hear the second Grasshopper Warbler, though, which was a bonus. Hope it stays. Worried about the first one, though, moving off the main reserve into the neighbouring field; perhaps it was just a this-morning thing.
Matt