Taken at UW

Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, FL; 18 Jan 2011

American Bittern, Botaurus lentiginosus. Ridgefield NWR, Washington. May 2010.

Whitewater Draw, Cochise Co., Arizona

This bittern has become a celebrity at Circle B Bar Reserve. He doesn't seem to wonder very far and once in a while he comes out for a photo shoot. I was glad to be here for his coming out party.

Canon 7d

Canon 100-400L

American Bittern, Algonquin Provincial Park, Whitney, Ontario, Canada.

Brazos Bend SP

Fort Bend County, Texas

March 2015

There is a story behind this and it goes something like...

Two colleagues from work told me that Bitterns are quite common at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Each time my wife and I visited the RNWR I would search and search, hoping to spy one of these fine creatures. None were ever to be found.

On this particular trip I started a joke by cursing these illusive birds. "Those g*d-d*mned Bitterns!" "Rob and Rick are lying sacks of sh*t!" "There are no Bitterns here!"

So imagine my surprise when we motored around a bend in the road and spied this guy!

On came the brakes. Out came the Sigmonster and 7D. "Bang" went the shutter at 8fps!!! I was going to get this guy, no matter what!

Then the evil thought occurred to me: What if Rob and Rick had placed a stuffed Bittern-like animal out in the marsh just to trick me?

Forest edge, Bombay Hook NWR

Botaurus lentiginosus

Cameron Prairie NWR, LA

Bittern in flight

www.uk-wildlife.co.uk/

American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) in early morning light beside a pond near Kars, Ontario, Canada, 13 May 2013. Phot was taken from a hide placed by the photographer.

Island Mere Hide, Minsmere

Richard W. DeKorte Park, Lyndhurst, NJ

www.naturenutnotes.com/2013/05/ridgefield-kiwa-trail.html

please see Suffolk April 2014 album. www.flickr.com/photos/wendycoops224/sets/72157644325620984/

Bittern

Bittern ice skating on the North Moors pool at Upton Warren NR, Worcs.

Photographed at Blashford Lakes

. Little Bittern " Lxobrychus minutus"

Sunny Beach, River bank. Bulgaria

American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus). Florida, Viera Wetlands

American Bittern, Viera Wetlands

This poor little guy got injured left eye.

Japanese Garden

American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus). Sierra Valley. Along Marble Hot Springs Rd. Near Beckwourth, Plumas Co., Calif.

© All Rights Reserved - Don Durfee Please comment, critique, or make suggestions. Your input is valuable and appreciated

Taken at Ridgefield NWR, WA Gr8pics4_U

Southwest Area Park, Baltimore MD, late-March 2011;

Crex Meadows, WI

RSPB Minsmere 22-05-15

We were really delighted to see 3 bitterns, particularly because they are pretty secretive, and as you can tell, very well camouflaged. They stand around in the reeds waiting for something tasty to approach. When they hear a threatening noise, they stretch out and freeze as this one did, swaying slightly to imitate waving reeds.

Check out 'frozen bittern' On Black

Bird Rookery Swamp Preserve,

Florida