Twitch 2011

Power Birding at Attenborough 8th Jan 11

A debut at this Nature Reserve for birding purposes having visited about 8 years ago for a walk before much recent development. Greeted by geese, ducks and swans desperate for a feed, with the Egyptian geese being the only rareties (more later).

Within 5 mins I saw a gaggle of pro-Twitchers and b-lined over to them to watch a Bittern showing perfectly in the middle of a small stream 60 yards away (gentle sand wedge distance for Mitch).

4 mins later I was in a hide and seeing a water rail at close quarters- 2 new lifelisters in quick time.

Others added over 3 hours but nothing amazing. Best bit was jogging alongside the trent to keep up with 3 sawbills to try and positively ID. I stopped a bloke looking like Santa coming the other way - 77 year old Lou - he confirmed Goosanders and then took me to his private hide complete with padlock.

Lou confirmed Egyptian geese are resident breeders and I saw one in a field the other side of the Trent outside the reserve - I'm having it.

2 Bitterns from an elevated hide later were much more rewarding than earlier - tough to identify in reeds but also a bit of flying action - superb stuff. I pity any man who has not seen one on many trips to these sort of places................I received some spam texts later in the day, one referring to a ''Bitten W****r'' - not sure if this is a north African variety. Also got spooked by an owl at close quarters in the dark on way back from the local boozer last night - think it was a Barn but can't claim it as just too dark. Woo Hoo.

S J Evans