Eurasian Bittern, winter visitor in the wetlands of Gautegiz Arteaga

An Eurasian Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) has been seen several times in the wetlands of Gautegiz Arteaga since the 29th of december. This elusive bird used to remain during the day camouflaged in the vegetation of the same shade and texture as its plumage and for this reason it is very difficult to see it.

Sometimes, but briefly, it lets itself be seen providing us an ornithological experience hard to match in our wetlands. This happened to our collaborator Diego Garcia Ventura on the 2nd of January of this new year, who could take this excellent photo of the Eurasian Bittern from the Orueta's observatory; where the bird is perched on the common reeds, merging with its own colour.

As this collaborator states, from the center we have also detected that it is often the Grey Heron the first who detects the presence of the Eurasian Bittern. The Grey Heron approaches very slowly to the elusive bird, getting it nervous and forcing it to move to a nearby vegetation.