Bittern

With the weather forecast to turn distinctly cold mid-week (down to 13 degs from 27 today), I thought I'd make the most of the warm and still morning to get out again before work. The Grasshopper Warbler was reeling in the usual place on Vestamager and I was surprised to see an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull (not common in Denmark) in a boggy field, noticeably smaller than the argentatus Herring Gulls with which it was feeding.. The usual Marsh and Icterine Warblers were on territory and the Thrush Nightingales were making a right racket from the thicket (they really are loud). A short stop in the forest to listen for Golden Oriole proved fruitless as did a brief search of the "rosefinch" garden. At the Point the viewing conditions were excellent - a flat calm sea and crystal clear. It allowed a count of grebes offshore and I counted 16 Red-necked and 8 Great Crested. Two second calendar year Black-throated Divers flew west along the shore and this Bittern (see below) was doing its daily exercise routine, patrolling the reed beds. A squawk revealed that a Grey Heron had taken a fairly mature Coot chick and I could see the poor youngster's legs kicking violently as the heron flew off to feed with the parents in a futile hot pursuit. Not much else doing so back by 9 for breakfast...

Photos: Bittern