The Water Rail is a quiet, elusive character of the reedbeds, often only giving away its presence by it's pig-like squealing from the depths of the wetlands...

This not too distant, smaller relative of the Moorhen may be camouflage against the reeds with it's phragmites-coloured plumes, but look a little closer and you'll see mesmerising slate-blue tones to it's front and blood red colour to it's bill...

They may be shy and reclusive but they make for it in personality, often squabbling and chasing one another at the base of the fens...

Whilst a difficult bird to get decent views of on the off chance, the Somerset levels is home to large numbers of these cryptic critters, so book a tour this new year to see some of the birds at their best time of year when they often venture into more unusual depths of the reedbeds...