gryllosblog   Gryllo's (aka Ian Lewis') blog. All things to do with travel, wildlife especially birds, history, architecture and anything else that interests me.

A visit to Hatch Pond resulted in sightings of three of the four birds present. It never ceases to amaze me that this tiny reed bed surrounded by houses and industrial estates can host four of these elusive birds in winter. Bitterns are usually associated with much larger reed beds. Careful management of reed beds in the last few decades has resulted in the British breeding population incresing to about 100 pairs. It is not known if the Hatch Pond birds are from elsewhere in the UK or from the continent.

Hatch Pond

Bittern number 1 was in front of the viewpoint

Bittern number 2 skulked in the reeds to the left of the viewpoint......

... before stretching forwards to catch a fish. Bittern number 3 was on the far side of the pond, whilst number 4 had flown out of view before I arrived.