Bittern found at WWT Caerlaverock

There have been several sightings of the elusive bittern at WWT Caerlaverock this autumn. Only one previous record of a bittern has been recorded.

The first of these sightings was on the 22nd September 2015, from the Avenue Tower at the flood ground. It was seen again on the 3rd of October where Twitter reported it was showing ‘incredibly well’ in the open from the Avenue Tower @RareBirdAlertUK.  A bittern was again spotted, this time on 14th November flying from the main lake North shore into the reed beds.

Bittern are secretive birds, who are rarely seen longer than a fleeting glimpse. They prefer to spend their time in the reeds, though occasionally can be spotted creeping at the reed edges.

Their presence is more often noted by the bizarre ‘booming’ sound which can carry for up to a mile, but in WWT Caerlaverock, it is usually assumed that any bittern seen is just passing through the reserve.

See if you can spot some interesting birds at the ‘Guide in the Hide’ events throughout November.