Heavy rain and other reasons for grumpiness made this an uninspiring trip to Martin Mere, salvaged by the news that a Bittern was showing off and on from the Ron Barker hide. We got there just in time for nice views before an on/off transition as it slunk out of sight.

At the Swan Link hide a few Herons were looking rather fine, and two Common Sandpipers busily bobbing around.

At the United Utilities Hide, I was able to point my scope at the Wood Sandpiper that was my main target for the day; I could sort of tell which bird it was (Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover also in the field of view) but I’m not going to award myself a tick because I couldn’t really see any detail on the bird. I’ll need to spend the large end of a grand on optics before I can see small waders from that hide, I reckon.

Speaking of that hide; why is it that the stairs are in the way of the only windows that people want to look out of? It’s a big hide with two useful seats and two cramped seats and a lot of unused space. Poor design. I hope the new hide they’re building on the Mere is a lot better designed; the trees and nice little picnic area they’ve destroyed for it are a significant sacrifice.

In the end it was a weird day; the bittern was absolutely ace even if the view was brief, but my mood only worsened on reading other birders’ accounts of their smashing views of cuckoos, wood and green sandpipers, kingfishers, marsh harriers, orchids and goodness knows what else on the same day. Let’s hope for some decent weather!