Bittern (Great Bittern) Botaurus stellaris

A scarce and elusive bird in the UK, breeding in just a few reedbed sites mainly in East Anglia. Norfolk probably has more sites than any other county, but the easiest place to see these is Minsmere in Suffolk where the patient observer stands a good chance of seeing one in flight.

The breeding birds in East Anglia are resident but a few extra birds from the Continent spend the winter here too. Sometimes these take up residence in much smaller reedbeds and these birds, like the one at Beeston below, often prove a lot easier to see.

Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08 Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08
Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08 Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08
Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08 Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08
Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08 Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08
Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08 Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08
Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08 Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08
Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08 Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08
Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08 Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08
Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08 Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08
Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08 Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08
Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08 Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08
Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08 Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08
Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08 Bittern, Beeston Common, 16-Feb-08

Bittern, Beeston Common (Norfolk, UK), 16th February 2008

 

Bittern, Strumpshaw Fen, 4-Jan-09 Bittern, Strumpshaw Fen, 4-Jan-09
Bittern, Strumpshaw Fen, 4-Jan-09 Bittern, Strumpshaw Fen, 4-Jan-09

Bittern, Strumpshaw Fen (Norfolk, UK), 4th January 2009

 

Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12 Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12
Bittern, Minsmere, 19-May-12

Bitterns, Minsmere (Suffolk, UK), 19th May 2012

 

Bittern, Heigham Sound, 31-May-09 Bittern, Heigham Sound, 31-May-09
Bittern, Heigham Sound, 31-May-09 Bittern, Heigham Sound, 31-May-09
Bittern, Heigham Sound, 31-May-09 Bittern, Heigham Sound, 31-May-09

Bittern, Heigham Sound, Hickling (Norfolk, UK), 31st May 2009

 

Bitterns, Minsmere, 7-Jun-08 Bitterns, Minsmere, 7-Jun-08
Bitterns, Minsmere, 7-Jun-08 Bitterns, Minsmere, 7-Jun-08

Bitterns, Minsmere (Suffolk, UK), 7th June 2008

 

Bittern, Sparham Pools, 17-Aug-08 Bittern, Sparham Pools, 17-Aug-08
Bittern, Sparham Pools, 17-Aug-08 Bittern, Sparham Pools, 17-Aug-08
Bittern, Sparham Pools, 17-Aug-08 Bittern, Sparham Pools, 17-Aug-08

Bittern, Sparham Pools (Norfolk, UK), 17th August 2008

 

Bittern, Martham Broad, 26-Dec-09 Bittern, Martham Broad, 26-Dec-09

Bittern, Martham Broad (Norfolk, UK), 26th December 2009