On the way to Leighton Moss this morning , spent well over an hour walking up and down the canal bank between Kellet Lane Bridge and Capernwray and also further south past the motorway bridge but could not locate the Bittern. Met two other birders who also had not found it.
Peter's photos have now been published on the galleries and frankly, they are as good as anything else you are likely to see anywhere, full stop! Clearly this bird is worthy of a trip if they are anything to go by
A few people have asked for directions so I've had a look at the OS map of the area to try and be more precise about Friday's location.
First thing is though that the bird had been reported much further to the south west of the canal than where I saw it [and has reportedly been in the area for a couple of months] and as I watched it, it moved some 60m down the canal within half an hour or so. Therefore I have no idea whether it has a territory as such or whether its moving constantly north east along the canal?
Anyway late on Friday it as at OS refce 5233 7142 which was North East of Kellet Lane Bridge - Kellet Lane is a minor road that runs parallel with the M6 from Over Kellet north to the A6070 as it runs out of Carnforth.
So options would appear to be park at Capernwray and walk south down the canal [and hope it hasn't already moved north of there] or park at Kellet Lane Bridge and search either side of it - was 250m north on Friday, or do what I did and park in Carnforth itself and walk north until you find it. It was a brisk 20 minute walk north east of Carnforth when I found it. Luckily the far bank cover is mainly OK and not enough to hide a Bittern apart from every so often when there is a bigger reed bed which needs a careful search through! Good luck and I hope that helps, Peter
Sounds like an amazing expeirence Pete and like you say once in a lifetime. I'd have loved to have gone and tried my luck tomorrow, but it's a fair way and Manchester United are playing!
Went to see if I could find the Bittern that's been reported on the canal at Carnforth. It was a good 1/2 km past where it had last been reported but what a stunning experience.
The canal was quite busy with walkers, joggers and dog walkers which seems to have made the Bittern totally unconcerned with humans! It was hunting along the edge of the canal so I sat myself down [much to the amusement of some of the joggers etc] on the edge of the towpath and waited for it to work its way down towards me. I then had 30 minutes of watching it hunting down to the width of the canal away from me [5m?] totally in the open and totally unconcerned. The only time it froze briefly was when a noisy dog came past.
Some of the things I noticed with such amazing views were:
. It had very distinctive green legs . It was was quite happy to walk up and over anything [reeds, brambles, branches] to make progress and it was also happy to hunt in the adjoining field edges . To fish it put the tip of its bill into the water then peered down by tilting its head to look down into the water
Binoculars were redundant and I never ever though I'd have to zoom out to 250mm on the camera to fit a Bittern in frame! I'll send Ian some of the better shots for OOC. If anyone wants directions just shout - for any photographers there have got to be once in a lifetime Bittern shots to be had!
Well if it's anything like the last time we played Fulham, come half 3 tomorrow, I might have wished I had gone to Carnforth Phil!