Bittern in the snow Lea Valley

The snow is falling quite heavy,it is going to snow all day, so rather than stay in doors a visit to Fishers green to look for the Bittern,. this is Jimmy's  local patch near us, so easy to get home if it gets to bad.
I follow Jimmy over there, he is in the hide when I arrive, inside 5 minutes the Bittern walks right out in front of the hide, it is a really good view of it, another year tick.

Bittern with catch

It is eating a big fish, we also see 2 Water rail, 1 walks in front of us, then has a little flight across the water, a really nice thing to see so close.
Also we see 2 Deer come really close to the hide.
A Song Thrush shows itself by the feeders another first for the year 125 so far.
Jimmy & I then decide to walk to Friday Lake to look for the Smew, it's a long old walk in the snow.
It turns out to be in vain as the Smew is not seen.
We do see Male Goldeneye + Goosander.
Also a nice Black Swan swims across in front of us.

Water rail

Looking for food

Black Swan

A winter's day

 Now for the long walk back to the cars, we walk by the river in the hope of seeing a Kingfisher flying by, but not to be today.
A nice few unexpected hours walking about in the snow, & seeing the target bird, off for a cuppa now.