Bittern

What a cold and windy day at Minsmere yesterday but still managed to see plenty including some firsts for the year.

We were stood outside the island mere hide yesterday afternoon on the walkway looking across the reeds watching beardies flitting about when this bittern suddenly appeared and flew off to see what was going on at the springwatch studio. Just managed to blindly point the camera in theright direction for once.

Also saw this one skuking outside the bittern hide later. It was doing its best to be invisible.

We also saw our first ever long-tailed duck on the scrape mixed in with mallards but too far to get a decent photo.