Latest news with #Bittern
South Wales Argus
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Birdsong celebrated at Newport Wetlands National Reserve
The event will be held at Newport Wetlands National Nature Reserve on Sunday, May 4, from 5am to 8am. This is part of the International Dawn Chorus Day celebrations. RSPB Cymru has invited people to join the event and listen to the stunning symphony of birdsong as the sun rises. The spectacle will feature not just garden birds, but also star species such as the Bittern and the Cuckoo. An RSPB Cymru spokesperson said: "As the sun rises, why not join us for a very special wildlife experience to hear the magical Dawn Chorus at Newport Wetlands. "This spectacle of sound will include not only the more familiar garden birds but also some of our star species. "Listen out for a booming Bittern or calling Cuckoo and hear the difference between a Reed Warbler and Reed Bunting… it is well worth the early start." The event offers an opportunity to visit the reserve before it opens to the public and soak up the sound of spring birdsong. Guides will be on hand to help with spotting wildlife along this exclusive walk. Tickets for the event are priced at £13 for RSPB members and £16 for non-members. For more information or to book tickets, visit the RSPB website.
Observer
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Observer
Why is this the most controversial restaurant in London?
The Yellow Bittern, an 18-seat restaurant and bookstore near King's Cross station, hardly looks like the most divisive lunch spot in London. It feels more like the farmhouse of a retired professor: Customers ring a bell to enter, hang their coats on pegs by the door, while pots of Irish stew simmer in the tiny open kitchen. The food is hearty and hot, served with jars of mustard, and the decor includes books on Bertolt Brecht and an accordion. However, the cooking and ambience are not the only reasons that London's top restaurant critics and gourmands have flocked to this establishment. Many are curious about the controversy surrounding its head cook, Hugh Corcoran, a deeply read communist and vocal Instagrammer who managed to enrage half the city soon after the Yellow Bittern opened in October. 'I've arrived at dinner parties or meals with people and then we all say, 'Shall we discuss the Yellow Bittern?'' said Margot Henderson, the chef of Rochelle Canteen in East London. 'It's the talk of the town.' The Yellow Bittern in London on Jan. 17, 2025. (Peter Flude/The New York Times) Much of that talk centers on class issues, which are often at the forefront in Britain. The Bittern is cash-only and has two seatings, at noon and 2 p.m., only during the workweek. Critics point out that few Londoners can justify a leisurely, multicourse midday meal with a bottle of wine, which can easily cost $300 for a group of four. The implication that they could—especially from someone with a drawing of Vladimir Lenin in his restaurant—has sparked irritation. 'The food was good,' Jonathan Nunn, founder of Vittles, wrote in an email after reviewing the Bittern. 'But this is like asking people on the Titanic whether they ate well. It was too colored by everything else going on around it.' The Bittern isn't unusually expensive; Corcoran, 35, is part of a long lineage of London chefs serving creative spins on country food. Modern British cuisine, having taken off in the 1990s, remains highly influential in London. This nose-to-tail cooking approach is epitomized at St. John, co-founded by Henderson's husband, chef Fergus Henderson. Corcoran, from Belfast, does not view Northern Ireland as a legitimate state and holds a passport from the Republic of Ireland. He draws inspiration more from his home and places like France and the Basque Country than from Britain. The Dublin Coddle, a decidedly un-Instagrammable stew of potatoes and boiled sausage, that has generated a lot of buzz at the Yellow Bittern, in London on Jan. 17, 2025. (Peter Flude/The New York Times) However, the controversy has less to do with the cooking than with Corcoran's outspoken nature. Soon after opening, he took to Instagram to scold his customers. 'Restaurants are not public benches,' he wrote, admonishing patrons who split entrees and those who do not consume alcohol. 'You are there to spend some money.' Corcoran's post sent shock waves across London, a city known for its 'sorry, pardon me, after you' mentality. Critics published a flood of reviews, ranging from praise to scathing rebuttals. Yet, this tumult has only increased the restaurant's allure: Tastemakers like Alice Waters, Nigella Lawson, and chef David McMillan have visited. The menu features items like soda bread with butter and silky leek soup, alongside main courses like rabbit and guinea fowl pie. For dessert, there might be cream poured over an apple tart. Guests often linger long after the owners begin clearing tables. Supporters view Corcoran and his co-owners, Lady Frances Armstrong-Jones and Oisín Davies, as mavericks challenging the notion that the customer is always right. They celebrate the Bittern as a reaction against pretentious 'tweezer' food. Conversely, a louder chorus of critics mocks the restaurant, calling it a web of performative contradictions. One critic highlighted the absurdity of a stew priced at 20 pounds while suggesting a 90-pound bottle of organic red Burgundy, describing it as a fetishization of a working-class life that never existed. The owners maintain they never claimed the Bittern was for the working class. 'We have to run a business,' Corcoran stated. 'The people who come here are the people who can afford to come here.' Corcoran believes Londoners deserve more than quick, soggy lunches. 'Is this the kind of society that we were trying to create?' he asked. He suggests that discontent may be displacing frustration about lunch breaks, as the Bittern represents a reminder that people should have the time to enjoy a meal. So far, the Yellow Bittern is thriving. With a 10-year lease and near-capacity crowds each day, Corcoran believes they've found an audience craving a thoughtful dining experience. —NYT
New York Times
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The Most Divisive Restaurant in London Is Open Only for Lunch
The Yellow Bittern, an 18-seat restaurant and bookstore near King's Cross station, hardly looks like the most divisive lunch spot in London. It feels more like the farmhouse of a retired professor: Customers ring a bell to enter, then hang their coats on pegs by the door, while pots of Irish stew simmer in the tiny open kitchen. The food is hearty and hot, served with open jars of mustard. The décor includes books on Bertolt Brecht and an accordion. But the cooking and ambience are not the only reasons that London's top restaurant critics, chefs and gourmands have come to dine and opine. Many are curious for a taste of the controversy swirling around its head cook, Hugh Corcoran, a deeply read communist and vocal Instagrammer who managed to enrage half the city soon after the Yellow Bittern opened in October. 'I've arrived at dinner parties or meals with people and then we all say, 'Shall we discuss the Yellow Bittern?'' said Margot Henderson, the chef of Rochelle Canteen in East London and a pioneer of modern British cooking. 'It's the talk of the town.' Much of that talk boils down to issues of class, as it so often does in Britain. The Bittern is cash-only and open for two seatings, at noon and 2 p.m., only during the workweek. Detractors have noted that few Londoners can partake in a leisurely, multicourse midday meal with a bottle of wine, and fewer still can justify one that easily costs $300 for a group of four. And the suggestion that they could — coming from a man with a larger-than-life drawing of Vladimir Lenin in his restaurant — has set off a yowl of irritation. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
All of the sightings of 'rare' bird across North East skies over the years
Nature lovers and bird watchers in the North East have been delighted by several rare sightings of the elusive bittern over the years. The recent appearance of a bittern at Rainton Meadows on February 4 has reignited interest in the species, which remains a rare visitor to the region. Bitterns, members of the heron family, are known for their expert camouflage and deep, booming call. Their secretive nature and preference for large reedbeds make them difficult to spot, making each sighting a special occasion for bird enthusiasts. The Bittern at Rainton - February 4 (Image: RAY HALDANE) A Bittern at RSPB Saltholme in January this year (Image: ROGER SIMPSON) A Bittern at Rainton Meadows in July 2024 (Image: RAY HALDANE) A Bittern (Image: Gordon MacPherson) A Bittern in the North East (Image: MICHAEL THOMPSON) A Bittern in Gosforth Park nature reserve in 2019 (Image: Peter Oughton) One of the most significant bittern encounters in the North East occurred in 2012 at RSPB Saltholme in Stockton. For the first time, a male was heard booming in the area, raising hopes of a potential breeding attempt. However, despite the excitement, the bird failed to attract a mate. A decade later, in 2022, another male was recorded at RSPB Saltholme, this time accompanied by sightings. This raised fresh hopes for the species' gradual return to the region, as conservation efforts continue to support wetland habitats crucial for their survival. The latest sighting at Rainton Meadows is particularly special, as the last recorded instance of a bittern staying in the area for an extended period dates back more than a decade. Recommended reading: Work to start on new Darlington garden village with 2,000 homes in 'coming weeks' Tributes to 'beloved son' and 'friend to all', 25, after fatal crash with BMW Giant 15-metre tower play attraction being installed at County Durham park Local bird watcher Brian Howes captured striking images of a bittern in flight at the site last year, adding to the excitement around its rare appearances. While still an infrequent visitor, every bittern sighting in the North East is a cause for celebration. With ongoing conservation efforts, the presence of these magnificent birds in the region may become more common in the years to come - or so it's hoped. While we have done a round up of Bitterns - these are just some of the images we have from our Camera Club collection and not exhaustive of every image of Bitterns ever taken in the North East
