5 Nov - a repeat visit, fortunately to this end of Cornwall, and after a 2-hr wait, excellent views of the American Bittern which has relocated to Walmsley sanctuary near Wadebridge. The bird was feeding in the ditches of the reserve, and occasionally walking in the open and being seen in the reeds along the dykes, where it was amazingly well camouflaged. The above pictures (top two, copyright) were taken while I was watching the bird, by Mike Barker, who was sitting next to me in the hide - he kindly e-mailed me the copies above. Distinctively smaller than Eurasian Bittern, darker in colour, with obvious coarse streaking on the breast, black moustachial stripe and lemon yellow bill. Also present on site - Whooper Swan, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew and 100+ Snipe.
On the way home, a stop at the Exe estuary produced distant views of the American Golden Plover (lower photo, copyright Dave Stone) - small and slender, with prominent supercilium - together with Grey Plovers, Bar- and Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets, Red-breasted Mergansers, and 11 Little Egrets.
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