For several weeks now, multiple short-eared owls have been reported in the polder, and since there is still some snow on the ground, the chances of finding a short-eared owl there are slightly higher than usual. After all, their camouflage works a bit less effectively under these conditions. The sun was shining, so it was time to try my luck and go in search of the owl. It hadn’t been reported yet today, so perhaps no one else was looking. As it turned out, I could not have been more wrong.
As I drove into the slippery polder, I immediately saw a long line of cars parked along the road, which made me think: at least I won’t have to search anymore. However, when I got closer, I saw that it wasn’t a short-eared owl at all, but a Eurasian bittern. This bird had also been reported earlier, but I hadn’t really considered driving out this way specifically for it.
Along with quite a few other birdwatchers, it was calmly foraging in the meadow. Because of the frost, there is little food to be found in the reeds, forcing the well-camouflaged bird to look elsewhere for its lunch. It was amusing to see that the bird still seemed to think it was well hidden. Although I have heard the Eurasian bittern several times before, this was the first time I had ever seen one. A magnificent creature!
