I set off for my lunch time walk today with one thing on my mind, to see a bittern. I had been out for a lovely walk on Friday down to Island Mere after being inspired by one of the guides saying "he had just had the most magical fifteen minutes at Island Mere”. I too had a wonderful experience at Island Mere seeing a bittern in flight and then secretively feeding at the edge of the reedbed but it was a specific bittern I was after and one I would only see from Bittern Hide. I had been sent a picture of this bittern over the weekend and just had to see it with my own eyes gracefully striding through a pool in the reedbed with a full beaming sun behind it. It was the perfect day to see it too as I walked briskly through the woodland towards bittern hide with the sun streaming in through the trees and the twittering chatter of siskins in the treetops above.
As I ascended the steps up to bittern hide I was momentarily distracted by three marsh tits dancing about in a nearby tree having their own private game. I enjoyed them for a moment before heading up the steps to the top of Bittern Hide.
Marsh tit by Jon Evans
The view from Bittern Hide was absolutely stunning with the gloriously warm sun soaking the reedbed in light and a marsh harrier gliding past. I put my head close to the open window to simply enjoy the clean crisp air and the breathtaking view.
Of course I didn't manage to capture the marsh harrier in my picture!
It was then that I turned to see the bittern that I had been wanting to see.
Jane Kershaw is an rspb volunteer and a very talented artist. When she began volunteering with us she expressed a desire to use her creative talents to produce some artwork for the reserve. We asked her to do a painting of the stylised image created of a bittern at Minsmere for Bittern Hide. The image was produced specifically for Minsmere as the emblem of much of our Minsmere merchandise. Jane is very experienced at painting beautifully detailed and realistic animal portraits but readily accepted the challenge of producing this very large stylised image. After many a cold day over the winter spent in Bittern Hide painting Jane completed the bittern mural at the weekend and kindly gave me a sneak preview by sending me a picture of her finished work.
I'm sure you will agree that the view from Bittern Hide is one of exquisite beauty and now the view as you turn away from this towards the inside of the hide has been immensely enriched and brightened up by Jane’s work. She has very kindly agreed to do another painting for us for the other side of the inside of Bittern Hide as part of Minsmere’s 70th celebrations, this will naturally be of an avocet. You may be wondering why a painting of an avocet should be placed in Bittern Hide? Because the first avocet to return to Minsmere was actually seen and nested in the pools in front of Bittern Hide in 1947. I am sure the next painting project will be slightly more enjoyable for Jane to complete with the warmer weather coming, the increase in bird song to be heard and also the start of the bittern’s booming, expected to begin within the next three weeks!
I certainly can't wait!