A Bittern in Barnes. London Wetland Centre. 08.03.22

The last (and first) time I visited the London WWT Wetland Centre in Barnes was shortly after the second lockdown, and all the hides were closed; so this was the first time I could get a feel of what it was like. Yesterday, there were not many birds around, but I did see a Bittern which was a real surprise, as they are one of the UK's most illusive birds. Talking to WWT staff I found out that the London Wetland Centre hosts a very small number of overwintering Bitterns each year.

Birds seen: Redshank, a Snipe, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese, Egyptian Geese, Cormorants, Shelducks, Tufted Ducks, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallards, Black Headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Great Black-Backed Gulls, Moorhens, Coots, Carrion Crows, Magpies, Mute Swans, Grey Herons, a Bittern, Robins, Blue Tits, Ring-Necked Parakeets

Map from: London map | WWT

From the Dulverton Hide

Grey Heron

From the WWT Hide

Tufted Ducks

Marshes

Gadwall

Shellduck

Male Shoveler

Gadwall

From the Peacock Tower hide

Lapwing and Coot

Lapwings

From the Wader Scrape Hide

Toward the Peacock Tower Hide

Morehen and Snipe

Male Shoveler

From the Headley Hide

Wigeon (Black-Headed Gulls in the background)

The Reedbeds between Headley Hide and the Wildside Hide

From the Wildside Hide

Cormorants in breeding plumage

View of the Peacock Tower Hide from the Wildside Hide

A Mute Swan

Island in the Reservoir Lagoon with Grey Herons, Cormorant and Black-Headed Gulls, and in the reeds and the back of the lagoon, a Bittern

The Bittern enlarged.