American Bittern, Viera Wetland
I CAN'T STOP LOOKING FOR BITTERNS. No matter what I have in mind I always seem to end up scouring places like Viera Wetland in the hope of finding one. After one quite shy bird near the centre point, on a damp and grey morning, I caught up with what was presumably yesterday's bird again in roughly the same area as before and again it was being hassled by the gang of White Ibises and Snowy Egrets feeding actively (and noisily) in the vicinity. Most people enjoyed some nice views of it, albeit partially obscured in the rushes, including a bus load of folks on the organised birding festival field trip. Still no sign of Purple Gallinule though, nor Least Bittern, although the Dan Click Ponds were very birdy with hordes of shorebirds, including Black-bellied Plovers amongst the many yellowlegs and dowitchers. A small flock of at least 8 Buff-bellied Pipits were feeding on the insect-laden mud in the company of Killdeers and Palm Warblers and a pair of Mute Swans was causing some excitement.