| Welcome to Nature UK. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use but If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features. There are numerous topics members can take part in that are exclusive to Nature UK including the yearly photography challenges and the seasonal spotting challenges. We also have a very comprehensive wildlife identification section along with a monthly photo competition. Please feel free to share your photos with us and any wildlife discussion you may have. You can also find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Click Here to Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Bittern, seen at Slimbridge WWT.; Two Bitterns at Slimbridge, added 9th January. | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Dec 11 2011, 10:39 PM (3,307 Views) | |
| Dovetail-Marg | Dec 11 2011, 10:39 PM Post #1 |
![]()
|
I was up very early this morning to go to an event at Slimbridge. We had to be there by 8.30am and were being taken to all the hides with a couple of wardens, and I really enjoyed it. I learn't so much, and thankfully we didn't have the rain that had been forecast. ![]() I was looking forward to going to Zeiss hide as Bitterns have been seen there ( there are three there at the moment, only the third one is more elusive than the other two) I had been going there quite a few times but only saw two of them once and they were too far away to get any descent photos. I have been sitting in that hide for hours at a time .......and I mean hours, 2 to 3 hours at a time. This time we all crept up the stairs ( there are two flights of stairs to the top) and low and behold there was one quite close to the hide. I was so I've still got a big on my face. Here are some photos. I have taken some footage, but I've got to edit that. At first it had it's back to us. ![]() Then it decided to have a look round.....probably thinking, 'oh! no I'm being watched again' and moved off into the reeds. ![]() We thought that was it, but no after about a minute it came back out again. ![]() ![]() ![]() A few more........ |
![]() |
|
| Tabatha | Dec 11 2011, 10:44 PM Post #2 |
![]() ![]()
|
Marg. Well worth getting up early for. for posting
|
![]() |
|
| Dovetail-Marg | Dec 11 2011, 10:44 PM Post #3 |
![]()
|
I must admit, I didn't realize that Bitterns had a slate colour on the top of their heads.![]() ![]() ![]() After this last photo, it came really close to the hide, so close that we couldn't see it, unless we'd all hung out of the window. and it disappeared.I love those big feet. ![]() I'll sort the footage out tomorrow. Thanks for looking.
|
![]() |
|
| NBShaz | Dec 11 2011, 10:58 PM Post #4 |
![]()
Platinum Member
|
OH Marg Photos .. They are indeed the best photos I have EVER seen of a Bittern I am so pleased for you that you accomplished your mission and how good of the rain to keep away too. Superb photos marg I didn't realise they had the slate grey on top either .. what a stunning bird the Bittern is |
![]() |
|
| happyhare | Dec 12 2011, 08:28 AM Post #5 |
|
Osprey
|
Marg, superb photos! I'm glad the weathermen got it wrong again and you didn't get the rain. I'm not surprised you've got on your face still!Edited by happyhare, Dec 12 2011, 08:29 AM.
|
![]() |
|
| peppiB | Dec 12 2011, 09:25 AM Post #6 |
|
[div style='visibility: hidden']test[/div]
|
Fabulous photos Marg
|
![]() |
|
| celticsparrow-Jan | Dec 12 2011, 10:01 AM Post #7 |
![]() ![]()
|
Fantastic photos Marg,i agree with what Shaz says they are the best i have seen too. :clap: Well worth the early visit to get such a brilliant sighting |
![]() |
|
| Deleted User | Dec 12 2011, 11:10 AM Post #8 |
|
Deleted User
|
Absolutely stonking photos Marg How wonderful to have been rewarded like that, thanks so much for sharing them with us. Looking forward to your footage now
|
|
|
| Davebutterflyman | Dec 12 2011, 02:17 PM Post #9 |
![]() ![]()
|
what can you say! amazing photos of the Bittern Marg and you have managed to capture every aspect of this beautiful bird quite brilliantly.....wildlife magazine stuff!
|
![]() |
|
| NBShaz | Dec 12 2011, 05:01 PM Post #10 |
![]()
Platinum Member
|
That's what I was thinking too Dave, or perhaps if WWT Slimbridge (I know Arundle and Welney do) have members photographs on display in and around the reception areas. Might be worth you asking them Marg if they would like to display your fantastic photos. That's if you haven't enquired already Looking forward to seeing the footage as well :D |
![]() |
|
| Dovetail-Marg | Dec 12 2011, 10:56 PM Post #11 |
![]()
|
Aww!! thanks for all of the really lovely comments, now I'm :blushing: There has been a lovely lot of photos of the Bittern taken by various people visiting Slimbridge on the Slimbridge website. But it's thanks to James and Martin the two wardens, as they have cut back some of the reeds near to the hide, without them doing that, we wouldn't have had the chance to see them so clearly. I might well send a couple of my photos to James, because he has put up his email address and is asking any of us to send photos to him....that applies to photos of any birds that you see there. I managed to edit the footage today so I've put it into two clips. I haven't added any music so please excuse the background talking and sniffing!!! but we were all feeling a tad cold, as the wind was coming in straight at us at times. There were quite a lot of us up in one corner of the hide, so we're quite close to one another. The woman next to me said fantastic, so many times, she really made me smile, but she was right, it was fantastic. Sorry about my little titter at one point in the second little vid, but the woman next to me made a very funny comment about the Bittern when it did it's bottom wiggle. [utube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beCoD1Hfmqc&list=UUvaz3VCvHbbctC7xcSPBK9w&feature=plcp[/utube] [utube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_rMs-XtYGk&list=UUvaz3VCvHbbctC7xcSPBK9w&feature=plcp[/utube] Thanks for looking. |
![]() |
|
| Night Owl | Dec 13 2011, 12:23 AM Post #12 |
![]() ![]()
|
Marg like others have said those are the BEST photos i have ever seen of a Bittern! I didn't know they had such beautiful markings and you've captured them superbly I really enjoyed watching the video clips too for sharing them with us Marg
|
![]() |
|
| happyhare | Dec 13 2011, 08:20 AM Post #13 |
|
Osprey
|
excellent vids Marge!
|
![]() |
|
| NBShaz | Dec 13 2011, 06:41 PM Post #14 |
![]()
Platinum Member
|
Aww Marg for taking the videos that was just .. well .. I think the word is Superb footage and I loved the titter in the 2nd clip I felt as tho I was right there with you in the hide .. a great experience and thanks again for posting
|
![]() |
|
| lavendergirl | Dec 13 2011, 07:49 PM Post #15 |
|
Red Kite
|
Amazing photos Marg,such a beautiful bird,the markings are stunnng and loved the videos
|
![]() |
|
| Davebutterflyman | Dec 13 2011, 07:58 PM Post #16 |
![]() ![]()
|
brilliant footage Marg and what a treat to see such a beautiful bird so close up
|
![]() |
|
| Dovetail-Marg | Dec 13 2011, 10:50 PM Post #17 |
![]()
|
everyone, I'm glad that you enjoyed the little videos.. ![]() |
![]() |
|
| Deleted User | Dec 14 2011, 02:16 AM Post #18 |
|
Deleted User
|
Those are absolutely brilliant Marg. You must be thrilled with the footage and photos. What an experience
|
|
|
| Tabatha | Dec 14 2011, 08:19 AM Post #19 |
![]() ![]()
|
Amazing close ups. Great footage too. It is lovely see one so close up. They have got pretty markings. That is probably the closest I will ever see one. It was definitely worth the waiting around. for posting
|
![]() |
|
| Deleted User | Dec 14 2011, 11:35 AM Post #20 |
|
Deleted User
|
Fabulous footage Marg .... that must have felt like a really special early Christmas present!! so much for sharing it as I agree with Tabatha, that's probably the closest I'll ever come to seeing one too.
|
|
|
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Birds. · Next Topic » |
| Track Topic · E-mail Topic |
9:16 AM Jul 11
|
Fresh Graphics Custom Theme By Outline















Marg. Well worth getting up early for.
for posting





Photos ..
I didn't realise they had the slate grey on top either .. what a stunning bird the Bittern is




for sharing them with us Marg
for taking the videos that was just .. well .. I think the word is
I felt as tho I was right there with you in the hide .. a great experience and thanks again for posting
9:16 AM Jul 11


