Secrets Of Nature - The Bittern (1931)

British Instructional Pictures Ltd production. Distributed by Wardour Films Ltd. Photographed by Walter E. Highams F.R.P.S.
The Fens. Windmill and river. Lilies on the water. Flowering plants. Coot on its nest. Wild duck feathers. Great Crested Grebe settling down on its nest. Car driving along a grassy track. Man punts down the broads, frightening a Grebe. A sailing boat scare a Coot. Bittern on its nest. We see its eggs. The Bittern flies away to fetch some fish. Bittern sits on the eggs. The camouflage affect of the bird's feathers is noted. Flight of a pair of wild swans. Bittern flies off to reveal that one egg is hatching. She returns to the nest. She arranges the eggs with her beak. She throws out the empty egg, it sticks on the edge of the nest and as this might attract predators, the mother pushes it out further.
Male Bittern is lifted by a man to show his size. He attacks his predator. Bittern in flight. The baby birds are called: "golliwogs" by the narrator. We see the babies in the nest. Mother feeds them. The babies squawk when the mother leaves the nest. Baby bird eats a piece of reed by mistake. Sunset over the Fens: "...sending holidaymakers home across the broads".
FILM ID:1677.01
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British Pathé also represents the Reuters historical collection, which includes more than 136,000 items from the news agencies Gaumont Graphic (1910-1932), Empire News Bulletin (1926-1930), British Paramount (1931-1957), and Gaumont British (1934-1959), as well as Visnews content from 1957 to the end of 1984. All footage can be viewed on the British Pathé website. www.britishpathe.com/

[@that_one_goose2003]

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[@DutyJames]

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[@that_one_goose2003]

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