This morning I made an early visit to Ham Wall RSPB Reserve where I was fortunate enough to see a 10 minute chase between a male and female Bittern. They're not great pictures because they were quite a way off, but I was so excited to see them! Not long ago they were extinct in the UK , though they are now making a slow but steady recovery, and Ham Wall is one of the few places where they are doing particularly well. There was plenty of the characteristic "booming" of other males all around too. I think this male must have been worn out by the time he managed to encourage the female to land so they could mate in the privacy of the rushes. Once he's had his wicked way he then leaves all the nest building, egg-laying and chick rearing to her and flies off in search of another female!
