West Charleton Marsh

Time has been at a bit of a premium recently with not much to spare. Did get over to South Milton Ley last Saturday morning with my son Rory to help out with a very successful mornings reed cutting. There was a great turn out including many non-birding locals so a special thanks to them.
Mid afternoon today I wandered down to Charleton Marsh. Was hoping to give the Chiffs in the sewage works a good look and there were at least 11. One looked very good for Siberian but the sun was making viewing difficult and then it started to hail so I left them for another day. A Moorhen on the circular filter bed was a first for me and a Grey Wagtail is still wintering in and around the compound.
Got to the hide and it was high tide in the bay. In the small Curlew roost towards Wareham Point were 6 Bar-tailed Godwits and a couple of Turnstones. A squally wind was picking up with an approaching shower so I shut the window, and concentrated on the marsh. A Bittern has been seen a few times since December. Too much to ask ? My luck was in and at 16:00 hrs it got up from the ditch near the sluice and flew across and landed in the middle of the reed bed. Typical Bittern sighting, brief and fortunate. This is the third I have been lucky enough to see on the marsh. As the rain stopped I headed back home just as a couple female Pintails flew in and a Cirl Bunting started singing. I gave the Chiffs another go but the light was bad and a Mistle Thrush flew out making its rattling call as if annoyed by me.

 
View from the bird hide, West Charleton in the distance. If a rainbow hits a reedbed, maybe there is a bittern instead of a pot of gold.