Bittern boon-anza at London Wetland Centre
WWT London Wetland Centre is having a bumper winter for bitterns this year.
Normally home to just one of these elusive birds from the heron family, this winter is seeing a bittern bonanza with the centre offering shelter for up to five at a time.
Not only is this large number unusual for us, but one of the birds has been heard booming, the first ever recorded there.
This is an exceptional event because they don’t even start breeding until late March/early April which is when you would normally expect to hear the males making this remarkable, far-carrying cry.
Bitterns are extremely elusive, with their buff, streaky markings making them very hard to spot as they search for fish amongst reed beds.
There are thought to be only between 50 – 150 individual birds wintering in the UK each year, but with up to five making their home at the London Wetland Centre this winter, now is your best chance of spotting one.
