First trip of the year to the London wetland Centre in search of wintering Bittern. Although the Eurasian Bittern is becoming more common in the UK as a breeding bird, the traditional wintering sites have seen a reducing number of birds. This is probably because these birds are thought to come from the continent and less cold winters in Holland, Belgium and France means that more birds are staying there rather than travelling to wintering sites in SE England.
In the morning Keith and I took the southern route stopping at the hides, feeder station and sheltered lagoon. Good numbers of duck including Shelduck, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Shoveler and Gadwall were present along with Cormorants, Coot, Moorhen, Great Crested Grebe together with Herring, Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
We then made our way to the Peacock Tower hide from where we could see the flocks of Wigeon grazing on the grass. Another birder kindly put us onto a distant Bittern on the opposite side of the lake.
After we watched it for awhile it disappeared back into the reed bed and we continued on our way back to the visitor centre and proceeded out onto the northern route.
We stopped briefly at the Otter Pen to look for Grey Wagtail, but only a Grey Heron was present.
We went onto Wildside Hide, where we were fortunate to see a second Bittern, this one much closer.
We watched it sunning it self in the afternoon sun until we had to leave. Also seen from Wildside Hide were Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Coot, Shoveler, Northern Lapwing, Little Grebe, a single Pochard and a Red Fox.
A good day with a good variety of species (39 species of birds and 2 species of Mammals) and although it was cold it was a bright clear day. Good start to the year.
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