Every month on the coach trips we do a 'Bird of the Day' everyone has a vote and we get some interesting results. I'm glad its left to Paul Daft the Newsletter Editor, to make the final choice.

At Titchwell in April, my bird of the day changed every few minutes.  At first it was a Marsh Harrier, one greeted us as we left the coach, displaying right over us, in fact there were three birds in the sky at the same time, then it was the Linnet, once so common as to be overlooked, now well worth looking for.  The males were truly stunning, perched on top of bushes on the shooting marsh, the sun picking out their grey heads and red chests.  Then a Black-tailed Godwit in full breeding plumage, or perhaps it should have been the Swallows, newly arrived and buzzing overhead, then Will found a canary bright, male Yellow Wagtail which finally got my vote.

But the true bird of the day was ineligible  for the vote, as it was heard and not seen.  It was a Bittern, 'booming' from the dense reed bed.  As I listened to it I realised that in my 26 years as a born again Birder it was only the second I have heard.  I have seen Bitterns most years but the magical sound has eluded me.