South of the Humber

Met Phil at Blacktoft at 9 and headed for Xerox Hide where we were infirmed the WHITE-TAILED LAPWING was showing....and it was...

Much better views than on my initial flustered visit for my Yorkshire Tick...and MUCH more relaxing. We had the hide to ourselves initially...

Pity the sun wouldn't break through but the bird was close and I had superb scope views. Flushed with our success we moved on and decided to head for Alkborough Flats to try for Bearded Tits...after the obligatory chip butty.

On arrival we found the car park full so we initiated plan B and headed for Far Ings. On the way Phil showed me a spot at South Ferriby near Read's Island. We viewed from a pub car park (Hope and Anchor) which is at the mouth of the River Ancholme...

The tide was out and there were plenty of birds present including hundreds of Avocets...

Quite a sight!

This Little Egret posed well for me...

We also enjoyed a Reshank/Spotted Redshank comparison...

A great spot. You could bird having a pint and a meal!

We then moved on to Far Ings. We strated to walk to the hide but Phil had left something behind so I continued while he returned to get it. As I'm sure you're aware Bittern isn't an easy bird to see and I wasn't optimistic of a sighting. No sooner had I sat down than a bird flew right across the far side of the water and dropped in the reeds...

c200 yds

5 minutes later another bird made nearly an identical flight...

More zoom on this one

Of course Phil then arrived! He wasn't that bothered as he'd had good views here previously but it was a "big deal" for yours truly.

After waiting for a while with no further sightings we decided to head round to the hide opposite. When we arrived there was one chap in situ. He informed us he'd just seen a Bittern to the right of the hide! We settled in and waited. Nothing for 15 minutes then I picked it up deep in the reeds...

It soon disappeared again and there was no further sign for 20 minutes or so. The other Birder had spotted a raptor to the right of the hide; I had a look but couldn't see it. I then looked back at the reeds and there right in front of me was the Bittern. I informed Phil and the other chap but initially they couldn't see it, emphasising the superb camouflage of this species. We were soon enjoying "crippling views" of this superb bird...

My best ever views of this species and a wonderful end to a great day...