We scanned the feeders outside the hide, but were only able to find the usual tits, and several Reed Buntings in amongst the Chaffinches feeding on the ground.
We wanted to get pole position in the Ivy Lake North Hide which is usually opened at 9.00 am, so we walked around to wait outside. Walking through the trees there were calls from Goldcrests, Long-tailed Tits and lots of Wren. The wind was blowing a gale through the tree tops, but it was sheltered walking on the path. In the wind it was cold but when sheltered it felt mild, and all around the pussy willow flowers were out on the willow trees.
The mild conditions had also brought out bumble bees, the pussy willow the main attraction.
I stayed by the door, checking every so often the reed bed through the gap between the hide and fence, while Ian wandered around. On one of his trips back he picked out a male Reed Bunting, in the tree above us.
Almost in full breeding plumage.
Goldfinches, Chaffinches and of course the very vocal Wrens could be seen in the trees, but a smaller darker bird flew into the willow, a female Lesser Redpoll.
Ian went off to see if he could get a better shot, and I returned to the gap by the side of the hide. It was gone nine by now, but what I saw this time meant actually going into the hide was no longer a necessity.
Out in the open, a buff dome with black zig zagged shapes, patterns that makes it almost impossible to see when in amongst the reeds, but out in the open can only be one thing, a Bittern.
I called Ian back and we somehow manged to organise ourselves so that we could both see through the gap and more importantly be able to photograph the Bittern. It turned and started to move into the open water.
I missed the moment it fished, and according to Ian caught a Perch, the fish was dispatched very quickly, and here you can see the fish still in the gullet
It then sat still in amongst the reeds giving some idea of how difficult to see it with the wonderful camouflage
Then it was back on the move again.
Heading back into the reeds we lost sight of it, and it was at this time the wardens arrived to open the hide, we moved in and I settled down on the left hand side of the hide, at one of the two windows that open. After searching through the reeds we finally located it, moving away from us. Finally something alerted it, and it stood up neck stretched up.
Then it was back into the reeds, creeping ever so slowly and carefully through the fronds of looking down into the water.
Then we started to witness some different behaviour, the Bitterns slowly easing its bill into the water at the base of the reeds and staying there almost motionless.
It would stay like this, slowly probing with its bill and one it was convinced there was nothing there it was up and moving on slowly again
The head down looking into the water.
Then up, stationary
And a transformation from the slow, sloth like, movement through the reeds to a lightning strike into the water that was too fast for me and all I was left with was a splash and a view of the back and out stretched wings.
As it pulled out of the water and raised the head it actually dropped the wriggling fish, you can just make it out here at its feet the green stripes visible of what looks like a Pike, one that got away.
Then it was a case of adjusting the wings and back to the slow methodical search for another fish.
Once again the slow probing and wait at the base of the reeds as it searched for another meal. The head is tilted as it moves slowly to the water, but as it lays on its side the eye looks almost useless in this position, but must surely have extremely close focus, or it is getting close to over come the effect of refraction
Then it adopted this behaviour in different sites, although at the base of the reeds.
Then it was a case of just watching the performance of the Bittern as it moved slowly through the reeds
Pausing every so often to probe the water at the base of the reeds. Is this the most photographed Bittern in the UK, it seems so relaxed out in the open
And a wonderful portfolio of Bittern photographs
Then suddenly something startled it, and it stood upright showing how it can merge completely into its environment.
A close up of the business end
Merging into the background
A view of the binocular vision
Danger over the neck is retracted as it settles down
And then back to creeping through the reeds. It was at this point we decided to go back to watching through the gap in the fence, it was easier and less traumatic on the limbs that were trying to hang out the window
And that was where we left it once again walking in the open through the reeds.
We left Ivy Lake North and decided to go into the Woodland Hide, firdt up was a Collared Dove sat on one of the dead branches.
The conditions were perfect, a lovely background, blurred and grey, while on the branches plenty of pussy willow flowers. The Goldfinches were drawn to the flowers, pecking at the flowers, but looking better as they perched alongside them.
There was no sign of any Brambling, but there was a pair of Lesser Redpolls, here the female.
And the male with the vivid pink flush
We had seen Reed Bunting earlier on the ground amongst the Chaffinches, and they returned, this time though perching nicely in the bushes. This one could almost be regarded as the one we saw outside the Ivy Lake Hide, the head plumage looks pretty much the same
The Nuthatch would fly in and straight to the feeder. I do not like photographs of birds on feeders, so it was great to manage to catch the Nuthatch on the branches of the bush.
The chisel bill very clearly visible
Finally it was the turn of the Siskin, a male, to show off against the lovely bokum background.
We dragged ourselves away from the Woodland Hide, and took the walk to the Goosander hide as we are still waiting for the new Tern Hide to be erected. While it was dry, the wind was still very strong. As we walked down the road Ian picked out a Treecreeper, which for once stayed on the business side of the tree.
Out on Ibsley Water the Black-headed Gulls could be seen riding the wind and dipping down onto the waves whipped up by the wind. In front of the Goosander Hide there was a group of drake Shoveler. One came close to the hide, and was continually dabbling the "shoveler" bill in the water, filtering for any kind of nutrient.
As well as the Shoveler there was the Tufted Duck, this drake coming close and showing the bright yellow eye.
Ian then found a little surprise, a pair of Mandarin duck out in the open on the right hand side of the hide, on the edge of the bank. I have not seen Mandarin here before, and would not have expected to see them in this place, much too open for a Mandarin, the female is hidden to the right of the male.
From the Goosander we walked around to the Lapwing hide. The path is now raised above the flooded water by a boardwalk, which made for a nice change. Opening the windows in the hide we were greeted with waves that you would expect to see on the sea. Out on the water the gulls wheeled and dived with the wind. In front of us were several Goldeneye, and on the far bank a group of Goosander.
We scanned thew sheltered spots for the Black-necked Grebe but there was no sign. I was scanning through the gulls when I came across an unusual gull by the buoys. At firs t my though was Ring-billed Gull, but it wasn't right. For a start it was not an adult, which was the age of the bird recently reported.
It was clearly a third year bird, with a distinct pattern on the wings that I could match with recent photographs taken of a Caspian Gull.
Settled on the water the sloping forehead, and the long bill with the dark tip all point to Caspian too.
It was transfixed with the buoys and flew around it giving views of the tail, which was patterned with spots rather than a clear band, again a feature of a Caspian.
Studying the books and other photographs I was comfortable with the identification as a thrd year, 4th calendar Caspian Gull, a first.
We had a decision to make to stick or move. We decided to move, and to Fishlake Meadows mainly to check out the changes that have been made over the winter. We parked in the new car park, and set off north along the canal path. They have cleared an awful lot of trees, and you now have an excellent view across the reserve.
The path then heads across the reserve towards the west to a path that then leads to screens in the middle of the reserve. Here Teal were gathered.
There were several drake Pintail one close to the screen.
And a lovely wing flap.
A pair of Gadwall swam past, and if the male is an overlooked duck with the lovely Vermicelli waves on the flanks, the female has a wonderful brown flanks too.
The work that has been done has transformed the reserve, and the access will come into its own in the spring when the Hobby and Osprey come through. I can also imagine that there will be plenty of dragonflies about too.
As we walked back down the canal path Ian picked out a Great White Egret distant on the edge of the lake.
By the road a pair of Long-tailed Tits entertained us in the trees.
We walked around to the original view point where there was a large gathering of gulls, dominated by Black-headed Gulls. They would regularly fly up and on one occasion we heard Mediterranean Gulls calling, and managed to pick out two adults.
It had been a great day with some incredible views of the Bittern in the morning, and some great composed pictures from the Woodland Hide. Add to that a new bird in the Caspian, and the chance to see the amazing developments at Fishlake it truly was a good one!
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