Regular readers will know about the trouble we have at Minsmere with those pesky Bitterns - coming too close to the hides for all the big lenses, flagrantly ignoring the bird book descriptions describing them as "shy and elusive", giving us many Health & Safety worries and so on. This winter though, they do seem to have taken all the warnings and memos to heart and have been far more difficult to spot - perhaps because the water levels are higher than usual after all the rain, so their regular fishing spot on the water's edge in front of the Island Mere hide is a bit flooded. Whatever the reason, it's been pleasant not having to deal with all the complaints and sobbing photographers as the Bitterns wander around inside minimum focus points.
However, that nearly all came to an abrupt halt at the weekend. Yes, I'm afraid so, we've a troublemaker in our midst. He didn't quite reduce me to headshots, but it was a close run thing!
The start was OK, someone spotted him hiding at the edge of the reeds
"Well done ol' chap" I called to him, "Perfect display of your camouflage and skulking behaviour, just like the books say" "Huh", replied the Bittern, "I'm only getting my feathers straight before showtime"
Ahh, yes, it was a bit of a weekend theme, bad hair - the Little Egret was suffering too
"Cooeee" called the Bittern. "Here I am!"
"You're not thinking of coming out from that reed edge, are you?" I asked
"So what if I am?" came the truculent reply, the Bittern giving me a funny look
"You know you're not meant to, Ian will be very annoyed with you!"
"Ho ho ho, I don't care" he chortled
"Oh what big feet you have" I admired
The Bittern simply smirked, giving us one final pose before disappearing into the reedbed once more...