Last week I was out in the
Duke University SWAMP
helping lead a field trip for the Wetlands Ecology and Management
class. I had just explained to the students how we are keeping track of
bird sightings in the SWAMP using ebird when not a minute later we
stumbled upon a new bird to add to our site list...
![](//2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z6jimvNyrsQ/UISfFmxaPrI/AAAAAAAADy0/9QDFVjdvBMU/s400/digiscoped.jpg) |
American Bittern |
...to my surprise an American Bittern was prowling around in the aquatic vegetation not 30 feet in front of the bird blind!
![](//2.bp.blogspot.com/-n0boZSK_kAM/UISe-5fQIsI/AAAAAAAADys/EjWSDp2yKGg/s400/bittern+crop1.jpg) |
American Bittern |
It's pretty rare to see one of these away from the coast.
And usually they do a better job staying hidden!
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-u5_OowhxgIs/UISfc4H5YpI/AAAAAAAADzM/cjSo_6MVBh8/s400/stalking.jpg) |
American Bittern |
The bird seemed pretty unconcerned about curious birders and strolled out into the open to hunt crayfish.
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/-SoacWsCpThw/UISfWNREoCI/AAAAAAAADzE/v8bDEnL6ZBU/s400/hungry+for+more.jpg) |
American Bittern |
After gobbling a few small ones, it caught a huge bright red one that looked like a lobster
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-TdAKpeHXFhg/UITGfb_t5vI/AAAAAAAAD0A/BkR5v8YJqg4/s400/whats+it+caught2.jpg) |
Blood red legs... |
But it proved to be too much for this bird to handle and the bittern had to throw this one back...
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-qLuPwxjEvrQ/UITGhgXZLkI/AAAAAAAAD0I/7yDBhJvSjzU/s400/with+huge+crayfish2.jpg) |
a whopper! |
As of posting, this bird has been around for 8 days. It seems to be finding plenty of food and has already weathered some assaults from the resident Great Blue Heron. I wonder if it will stick around through the winter?
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