KEY WILDLIFE

Bittern

Smaller than a grey heron and with a dagger-like bill, the bittern’s mottled brown and black plumage helps this shy and elusive bird ( below) blend in effortlessly amongst the reeds.

Hobby

A summer migrant to Britain from southern Africa, this diminutive version of a peregrine falcon with an orangey-red undertail and thighs usually nests in woodland edges. However, upon arrival in May, hobbies can often be seen feeding above reedbeds before departing for their breeding grounds.

Reed warbler

This warm-brown, unstreaked warbler ( right) returns each spring from central Africa to rear either one or two broods deep in the reedbed. Its song is a noisy, repetitive and lowpitched chatter.

Marsh harrier

Similar in size to a buzzard, the marsh harrier is slimmer and possesses long, broad wings and a long tail. While the larger female is chocolate-brown with a straw-coloured head, the male has h tricoloured wings.

Bearded tit

Bearded B tits are small and dumpy d ginger-brown birds, but b the more colourful males have h a lavender-grey head and distinctive d black ‘moustache’. Listen L out for their metallic ‘ ping, ping’ call as they skim over o the reeds.