It's been a good week for Bittern watchers this week. Bitterns have been seen every day at Haverton, as they fly from one area of reed to another. There may be a couple of birds there. Haverton Viewpoint is the place to be, but you'll either need to put some hours in, or be very lucky.
Bittern flying at Haverton, by Lockhart Horsburgh.
We still have our resident it seems, Smew and 3 Great White Egrets. A few waders such as 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Ruff and 11 Black-tailed Godwits continue to linger, while migrants are arriving including 2 Whooper Swan, 12 Pintail, yet more Wigeon and 60 Redwing dropping in this morning along with a Brambling.
The Visitor Centre feeding station can be quiet at times just now, as it is being buzzed by a female Sparrowhawk.
Female Sparrowhawk by Mark Stokeld
We planted the Wild Privet to give the birds something to dash into at such times, but it hasn't grown up enough yet to giver any decent cover. It's not all bad, as we were inundated with Starlings, which were consuming the seed for the Tree Sparrows. Nature finds a balance in the end.