A last minute decision yesterday and I found myself travelling up to Slimbridge again. After being talked into taking another day off work by Rob Cross we decided to try and photograph water Rails. Everytime I have been to Slimbridge we usually head for the Zeiss hide in the hope of getting a Bittern shot, this time we decided that would have to take a backseat as it nearly always proved to be unproductive.

On arrival we headed to the place where Rob had previously seen Water Rail, the small pond and stream feeding it was frozen over so we thought this would increase our chances of getting one out in the open. Our thoughts were right and within about 30 minutes one was approaching through the trees and then continued to walk out on the ice where we managed some shots. This bird was very nervous and although was quite at ease with the camera shutters firing any movement and it would quickly scurry back into the reeds. I t would usually re-appear within 15-20mins so plenty more shots were taken.

After we were happy with the shots we had we made our way to the Kingfisher hide. On our arrival I saw a Fox slowly walking in the snow, out of the range of our lenses, we spent about 10 minute here as nothing seemed to be showing. As we were leaving a guy came in and said the Bittern had been showing well at the Zeiss hide (why didn't we go there earlier as we usually did). We ran, well walked fast and puffed a lot to the Zeiss hide and after talking to a few people we quickly located the bird which was barely visible about 40m away. We spent a few hours here in freezing conditions with the bird barely moving. After a while the guy that had told us about the Bittern when we were in the Kingfisher hide turned up, he told us that a few seconds after we left a Buzzard perched on a branch right in front of the hide and taunted us with the photos he had taken. He then showed us the Bittern shots he had taken earlier, the Bittern was in the open right in front of the hide!! and we had missed out again.

The Bittern did eventually move a little more in the open although still at distance, we did get some shots but we both know there are better to come!

Water Rail