Lucky Sparrow - UPDATE

Yesterday, a beautiful sunny day with barely a cloud in the sky, we visited the RSPB Valley Wetlands Reserve in Anglesey, which is directly opposite the RAF base from where a different species of bird is frequently seen and heard on low-flying practice. The reserve has several miles of pathways through heather and gorse, round countless reed fringed lakes and limestone crags. It is one of the best places for wildlife in the UK and a site of Special Scientific Interest. The website information mentions a good variety of species.

The lakes are home to wildfowl all year round and I was hoping to see tufted ducks, pochards, shovelers and grebes amongst others, and maybe even a water rail!!! From the top of one of the crags I spied a lake with lots of birds swimming about. The lake was completely surrounded by reed beds making it difficult to get close to the water’s edge and my camera set up isn’t good enough for long distance photography from the top of the crag, so I was keen to be as close as I could. I could see a narrow break in the reeds so we set off in the general direction of this gap, and I was pleased to note it was a narrow path leading down to the water.

I stepped cautiously down the path between the reeds until I reached the water. I stopped and looked to my left at which point I was stunned into total paralysis. Looking up at me, just 2 feet away, was a BITTERN. He was clearly as stunned as I was and we had a few moments of eyeballing each other before he vanished. It was a moment I shall never forget, but despite my camera being ready and hung round my neck I was incapable of even pointing it. He was so close to me I could have reached down and stroked him.

My bird book says: “it is a lucky birdwatcher who sees a bittern on the ground”.  Lucky Sparrow. Shame about the lack of photographic evidence!