Bittern Not Bitter

Sorry that the Posts have been so infrequent.  I will explain more in the next few post.

I recently had a close-ish encounter with an American Bittern.  Bitterns are usually heard and not seen.  Sometimes I feel that there are too many birds that we get to hear and not seen frequently.  I love seeing Robins, Towhees, Titmice, and Cardinals, but would it hurt to see a Nightjar or Owl or something.  Well, I guess to those birds it might.  Plus it just adds to their mystique.

In any case, I left my home at 5:30 in the morning to get to the marsh where the American Bittern was being seen.  As I got to the marsh, there was still fog over the whole site.  I could barely see a thing.  Since the Sun had just risen, I decided to wait for the rays to burn off the moisture and that might lead to a success spotting of the Bittern.  I still surveyed and monitored the marsh.  I noticed there as a brown thing sitting amongst the grasses...

I was curious but I wasn't going to get too excited.  They say the early bird gets the worm.  But at this marsh, I got the American Bittern, Virginia Rails, Wood Ducks, Green Herons, Mallards, Willow Flycatchers, Eastern Phoebes, and Common Yellowthroats were all out and about.  It was a true pleasure to sit and share a moment with an oft hidden bird as it stalked, feed, and even called a few times.  

Any good sightings or thoughts out there recently?  Share in the comments below and until the next time, get out and go birding!

American Bittern at All About Birds - Link here

2014 Year List: 262
Life List: 351

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday - Link here