'Ickle Bittern'

After writing about my first steps into digiscoping in my last post, the perfect chance came about this week to use the new equipment and finally get some decent photos on this blog, with the news of a Little Bittern near Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire on the river Colne, apparently giving very close views.

My first attempt to see this small Mediterranean cousin of our Bittern came on Wednesday evening after work, but this ended in failure as the Little Bittern was playing hard to get, having last been seen in flight around 3pm. I stayed until 8.30pm looking for the bird up and down the river but eventually had to give up and headed back to the car, where I found I was lucky not to have my car locked in the car park overnight, as a park warden was locking the gates for the day!

Nice man unlocking the gates - Sorry!

With no further news on Thursday or Friday, I thought the bird had moved on or had possibly been predated but then on Saturday morning I heard it had reappeared back on the same stretch of river apparently giving exceptional views. A quick check with Mrs Brown and I was off! Forty-five minutes later I was watching the bird catching and feeding on stickle-backs, less than twenty metres away from me - what a little stunner! And fully justifying its name, although 'Ickle' Bittern would be a more appropriate, standing less than 40 cm tall, half the size of a Bittern!

Here now was my opportunity to get some great photographs, good light conditions, barely a breeze and with a willing subject I quickly set up my tripod and scope, I fumbled through my bag feeling for my camera and adaptor ready for some amazing digiscoped images, pulling the camera from the bag I realised in my haste to get away I had left my adaptor at home!! I think b*llocks was the word I muttered under my breath as I was surrounded by long lenses and the sound of clicking cameras - once again left green with envy I would just have to enjoy everyone else's amazing photo's on their blogs!

Although a lesson learned in terms of 'less haste more speed' when exiting quickly to see a bird, the most important thing on the day was that I did see the bird, not at a distance, briefly or deep within cover, but excellent, close up and obliging views, which surely is the primary objective whenever you go birding.

You can enjoy many good photographs of the Little Bittern on any of the blogs I follow but if 'nice' scenery is more your thing, here's a photo of the River Colne!!

Picturesque - But not a Little Bittern!