2 Bitterns at Pegasus Wetlands

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kelly111
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Re: 2 Bitterns at Peg Bay Wetlands

Postby kelly111 » Tue Jun 02, 2020 9:30 pm

AlanShaw wrote:Hi kelly111,
Thought you might need a little help with finding the Bittern, so sending you a map of the most favoured spots. Best to get to grips with it while it's being so often seen----------they are usually extremely difficult, hiding in dense vegetation!
Please note that the area between the path and the viewpoint is very boggy so I would recommend Wellingtons or waterproof boots. I watched it for about 30 minutes on Saturday from approx. 9:30 am
Good luck,
AlanShaw
Pegasus Bittern's most regular location.jpg
thanks so much for that Alan me and my son will go out this weekend be so good to see one.
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Adam C
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Re: 2 Bitterns at Peg Bay Wetlands

Postby Adam C » Sun Jun 07, 2020 6:15 pm

Took my son Jack out today and Im blown away to report we found 2 birds, the lighter (presumably younger) bird and the darker one to our right but then had a THIRD bird fly into the raupo from the North-West. We then bumped into Eric Forsyth after we had re-located the lighter bird again (we both got photographs of this bird as it seems by far the most approachable which supports the theory it is a younger bird) and then Eric reported having watched another Bittern up the Northern end which he hadn't seen fly South. The bird we saw fly in was probably the same bird but it's possible there are 4 birds here at the moment.

Starting to wonder if these birds are birds that would normally be wintering at Ellesmere and perhaps the deterioration of that lake and lack of food is forcing them to seek other wetlands. Seems to be a LOT of Bitterns around at the moment (2 at Travis reported by Greg Mckenzie) for example.

Anybody know if Ellesmere sightings are down although I guess extremely hard to tell being such a large area?
“Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”

Samuel Ullman
kelly111
Posts: 111
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Re: 2 Bitterns at Peg Bay Wetlands

Postby kelly111 » Sun Jun 07, 2020 8:20 pm

Adam C wrote:Took my son Jack out today and Im blown away to report we found 2 birds, the lighter (presumably younger) bird and the darker one to our right but then had a THIRD bird fly into the raupo from the North-West. We then bumped into Eric Forsyth after we had re-located the lighter bird again (we both got photographs of this bird as it seems by far the most approachable which supports the theory it is a younger bird) and then Eric reported having watched another Bittern up the Northern end which he hadn't seen fly South. The bird we saw fly in was probably the same bird but it's possible there are 4 birds here at the moment.

Starting to wonder if these birds are birds that would normally be wintering at Ellesmere and perhaps the deterioration of that lake and lack of food is forcing them to seek other wetlands. Seems to be a LOT of Bitterns around at the moment (2 at Travis reported by Greg Mckenzie) for example.

Anybody know if Ellesmere sightings are down although I guess extremely hard to tell being such a large area?
hi m8 where is peg bay. May go out tomorrow as have the day off.
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Adam C
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Re: 2 Bitterns at Peg Bay Wetlands

Postby Adam C » Sun Jun 07, 2020 9:04 pm

Just the Pegasus Wetlands Kelly. Where we bumped into you. Birds were around the location given to you earlier on this post! :) Around Southern and middle areas of the wetland.
“Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”

Samuel Ullman
bdarlow
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Re: 2 Bitterns at Pegasus Wetlands

Postby bdarlow » Mon Jun 08, 2020 5:31 pm

Two bitterns seen at the wetlands again around midday today. One at the southern end of the main lake (a lighter coloured bird) and one at the northern end. There are quite large reedbeds around so, despite the nearby houses, it seems an ideal habitat. Brian Darlow
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tim
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Re: 2 Bitterns at Pegasus Wetlands

Postby tim » Sun Jun 14, 2020 5:23 pm

Went for a quick trip out to Pegasus today with the family, saw one of the bittern and this bird is quite friendly for a bittern "Maybe its grown quite used to the foot traffic"
It allowed me quite close with little effort plus its a nice wetland to visit.
DSC_5313.jpg
DSC_5313.jpg (435.44 KiB) Viewed 1879 times
Tim Rumble
kelly111
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Re: 2 Bitterns at Pegasus Wetlands

Postby kelly111 » Sun Jun 14, 2020 6:23 pm

tim wrote:Went for a quick trip out to Pegasus today with the family, saw one of the bittern and this bird is quite friendly for a bittern "Maybe its grown quite used to the foot traffic"
It allowed me quite close with little effort plus its a nice wetland to visit.
hi in what part did you see it i was out there with my son for about a hr or so and did not see a thing.
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tim
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Re: 2 Bitterns at Pegasus Wetlands

Postby tim » Sun Jun 14, 2020 8:04 pm

This bird was near the houses by the raupo area down from the path.
Tim Rumble
RandF
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Re: 2 Bitterns at Pegasus Wetlands

Postby RandF » Sun Jun 14, 2020 11:18 pm

We were there mid-morning and there was no sign of the bittern/s. I did, however, see a Marsh Crake skulking at the edge of the raupo bed on the southern end of the bittern lookout.
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Oscar Thomas
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Re: 2 Bitterns at Pegasus Wetlands

Postby Oscar Thomas » Tue Jun 16, 2020 5:54 pm

Nothing much there this evening, except the Northern Shoveler showing well on the pond just above Tiritiri Moana Drive.

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