With Kev away, I had to make up my own mind where to visit and opted for a trip to RSPB Otmoor, not least as it had been a little while since I visited last. On this occasion there was no target bird to see and so I just ambled along from the car park onto the reserve proper - it was a bit of a surprise how empty the car park was - only 5 cars is very odd.
I made my way along the bridleway, stopping to listen to the various warblers and cuckoos calling. Of particular note was the very showy sedge warbler that seems to sing and wait for you to take its photo - I obliged. I also had a go at getting a first acceptable reed warbler photo for the year and managed that after a couple of failed attempts.
At the crossroads I wondered whether to visit the hide but was distracted by a calling Cetti's warbler. Standing still I managed a few photos, some heavily affected by the sun. The bird is again quite showy here and gives good value. I stopped and watched it circle me a few times, getting brief but clear views.
I could hear a cuckoo calling and then saw two fly across the corner of Big Otmoor and one land in a tree - I took a couple of photos but they weren't up to much. I followed them along the path to 1st Screen and as I approached the turn a cuckoo called from a tree ahead - a bit more in view but a little distant for photos - beautiful through the bins. I waited until the bird flew off and rattled off a few more photos, one of which I thought had worked out well - unfortunately the bird had turned its head just at the wrong moment - oh well.
I scanned the reedbed from 1st Screen and waited to see if I'd get another opportunity for a cuckoo photo, but none arrived. There were lots of flights in and out of the reeds by marsh harriers, but they didn’t approach very close. I made my way back along the path as others had returned from 2nd Screen and indicated there wasn't anything of note there. Approaching the bridleway, I bumped into Peter Barker and John Reynolds who told me that the cranes with young were feeding on Ashgrave and looking rather attractive in the buttercups - this sounded like a photo-opportunity. I made my way there to find they had retreated back into the grass and no longer in clear view. After a short wait I made my way back along the bridleway and noticed a bird passing me on Greenaways - it was a bittern! I reached for my camera and snapped my fingernail. I tried again and by the time I was ready I could only get shots of the bird from behind - bother I thought. I stopped opposite the reeds where it had crash-landed and waited; another birder passed, and I explained where the bird was - he opted to wait with me to see if it emerged - it did in under 10 minutes. The bittern was up and away, across Greeenaways, up then down the reeds running along the path to 1st Screen, and then over the bridleway and away.
I then spent more than an hour hovering around this spot hoping for a return flight but to no avail. Eventually I decided it was time for lunch and made my way home, happy to have had such good views of the bittern.
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