Keep Your Eyes Peeled Folks - Bittern Alert!

Me, Nigel and Dawn saw a Bittern today down on the reserve.

It made a short flight (it was obviously disturbed by something) above the reed beds. It was airborne long enough for us to know it was unmistakably a Bittern.

It was seen from the "No Through Gate" as you head away from the lighthouse and the cut through into the reed bed.

Now I know the hopes of seeing it again are so slim down there, as the reed beds are so dense and expansive, but keep your eyes peeled on the edges, there's one on site.

Ant

PS .. I fully expect Cath to have digiscoped it by tea time tomorrow now! ;O)))))

Amazing - is this the first siting in Newport?

They have been down at the Wetlands for a number of years and good views were had (unfortunately not by me)  last year during the long cold spell.  But as Ant points out, the problem is because of the dense reedbeds, they only tend to be seen when they take flight.  Another one along with the Bearded Tit I have yet to spot down there!

Thanks for that Dai, I thought we were still waiting for them to spread from the Somerset Levels.

Bitterns have been spotted at Llanelli Wetlands and Forest Farm Nature Reserve in recent weeks.

If you haven't been to Forest Farm John you really should .. the birds literally eat from the palm of your hand there ... fantastic place to go to practice photography and ID skills.

Ant

I saw one in early 2010 in the snow, flushed it when walking past the children's play area, but haven't seen one at Newport since then.

Cath, I seem to recall you reporting one from the hide late in 2011, or is my brain malfunctioning again?

There was another report at the wetlands for yesterday, but no details as to location, and I had vague, (blob through the reeds), bird, at Forest Farm yesterday), so they are definitely about

Thanks for the tip Ant - where is Forest Farm?

I was about 5 mins too late to see the one at the hide

john_l_uk

Thanks for the tip Ant - where is Forest Farm?

Junction 32 of the M4. Head off at the Forest Farm exit (after Whitchurch) exit.

Go straight over the mini roundabout by the petrol station, and head into the industrial estate. Drive all the way to the end, where there is a cash and carry place and another roundabout and a big BT Exchange type place. Park on the side of the road, by the roundabout. Alongside the road there is a path, next to a stream, follow that and you will see the green sign and a bicycle gate for the reserve.

There are two hides at that end, which are behind gates you can go through (about 5 mins walk into the reserve), if you walk past them and past the meadow, you will come to the canal, which if you turn left, you can walk back along, back to a cut through which will take you back to where you started by the hides.

Take some bird seed with you, as there are plenty of fence posts to put some on, and even some bird tables of a fashion. Trust me, feed them, and they will come.

Plenty to see there, GSW even Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers reported. Tree Creepers, Nuthatches, Heron, Tawny Owl and Kingfisher all regular sightings.

I saw my first Kestrel there last week.

Give yourself an hour and half to two hours for a proper mooch around!

If you want to meet there let me know, and I will show you around! ;o)

Ant

Sounds great. Cheers!

Thanks for this info.  My wife had to go to Swansea to see mother so spent a few enjoyable hours there this afternoon on the way. Managed first photo of 2nd sighting of Goldcrest. Definitely worth a visit every few weeks,

Anthony is right super Little reserve saw a cracking Gos there last week, Lesser Spotted Wood there nearly every year plenty of Water Rails Green Woods And often Kingfishers, plenty of warblers as well soon :):)

All these sightings frustrating me this week ... I have no car and the sun is out and the birds is singing! ;o)

Ant