A bit of a mixed Barnes birdy bag!

First it rained... then the sun came out - I headed off to Barnes (London Wetland Centre). It was very quiet in terms of birds...

A Grey Heron posed nicely when the sun was shining.

Then word got round.. the Bittern was visible. There are degrees of visibility... this is probably the worst Bittern shot ever but it marks the fact I saw one!!

As you will probably having difficulty seeing it, its the "blob" behind the middle cormorant!

The Eurasian Crane (now sadly just the one of them instead of the usual two) was having a bath... normally they seem to just stand about.

We got to the hide just before the heavens opened and it poured!! A Shoveler had a bit of a flap.

and even the Coots looked dejected in the torrent!

Eventually it stopped and this Little Grebe was seen.

and finally - the sun came out and the plants and trees were on fire!!