Bittern in flight

Hi all- a new photo taken near Lake Ellesmere.

Bittern recovery stratgies in NSW

Hi all- the following link lists actions to help conserve NSW's remaining bittern populations. Clearly some Trans- Tasman co-operation will be a good approach for the conservation of bitterns

http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/pas_profile.aspx?id=10105ions.

Concern increasing about Bittern population in Australia

HI all- concern is increasing now about just how small the bittern population is in Australia. recent surveys suggest a minimum of 200 birds and for the areas monitored an upper population estimate of 600 birds. The significance of the NZ population is increasing.
Check out the following link which gives an indication of the recent decline of bittern numbers in Australia

http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/our-projects/bittern-survey.html


Note- data suggest that numbers have declined since this survey was under taken, over the last two years.

Peter

Coromandel wetlands

Coromandel wetlands

Bitterns on the Coromandel

Recently while up on the Coromandel I was quite impressed by the quality of wetland habitats on the upper reaches on the inlets on the eastern side . Yet it appears that many wetlands areas have been drained in the last five years.

Bittern chicks small and vulnerable

Clearly a big knowledge gap is on the breeding biology of bitterns in NZ. With bittern chicks being so small and often spread out from the nest basin I wonder just what the predation impact is on bittern chicks from what appears to be an increasing harrier population. Clearly this photograph demonstrates that human predation was also a problem in the past !!! If anyone has any recent reports (last three years )of breeding bittern I am certainly keen to receive them-
langlands@xtra.co.nz

Bittern chicks

An historic photo by Buddle.