The East Anglian Film Archive, the first and largest Regional Film Archive in England, was established in 1976. Since 1984, EAFA has been owned and operated by the University of East Anglia, Norwich (UEA), to support research and work to preserve our moving image heritage. More than 250 hours are freely available online as examples of the wide range of film which attracts interest the world over.
This film is part of Free
Reed Marsh
From redshanks, reed warblers and ruffs to the brooding of young bitterns - this film is a twitcher's delight. Filmed at bird reserves Minsmere and Scolt Head.
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Overview
Specialist filmmaker and natural history enthusiast, John Chear would have had special access and patience to film these wonderful scenes of birdlife in the habitats of Minsmere in Suffolk and Norfolk's Scolt Head and what a record they are! In particular the brooding of young bitterns hatched amongst the reeds would have been quite a coup at the time and the results of devoted time and talent.
Minsmere RSPB reserve was established only 8 years earlier in 1947 making use of the wetland habitats on low lying landscape reflooded during the war against invasion of the East Anglian coast. Bitterns were once one of the rarest and secretive birds now enjoying a population 'boom' thanks to reserves just like this. Hertfordshire based, John Chear was a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and the Linnean Society and made a number of films focusing on wildlife.
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