Getting up at 5 in the morning can take its toll on someone of advancing years, and so I took a break for a week. My body clock still woke me at that ungodly hour, but it was great to roll over and go back to sleep.
On the way home from a beach day out, we were approaching the weir when I noticed a small, strange looking bird crossing the road. You can not go fast on Greek back roads, and so I pulled up easily. The bird seemed to be walking in slow motion, with exaggerated long, slow steps. It brought Basil Fawlty to mind doing his German goose step. I reversed a bit and then pulled in, rushing to retrieve my camera from the boot (another rookie error). By the time I had the camera to hand, the bird had disappeared into the greenery of the riverbank.
Once home, I checked the bible and discovered that it was probably a little bittern, a marsh bird, the size of a small pigeon. Basically, a miniature heron. Another challenge had presented itself, and so the alarm was set back on for 5am. The next morning, there were no herons of any size in evidence, but the weir with the sun breaking over the mountains, is a great place for your morning coffee.
The day after, I did my usual sneaking down to the weir and set myself up amongst some trees in case it flew in and saw me. I stayed very still for the first hour and then decided to slowly approach the weir to see if there were any snakes around, as the bittern was not playing ball. No snakes, but plenty of marsh frogs singing which is always nice. I looked down the river, and there hiding in the green frondy things was the little bittern.
I took several quick shots and then began to carefully move closer. If it noticed me, it would move into the bittern, you cannot see me pose, of looking up. I would freeze until it looked down again and then continue to get as close as possible. I managed to get opposite it, as it was on the other riverbank, and got a few reasonable shots.
When this little bittern moves through the reeds, it carries on with its exaggerated, slow motion walk. I guess that is just the way it moves.
Now, if a purple heron would show up then……..
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