Bird Photography Weekly: American Bitterns

One of the birds I was especially looking for on my trip down to San Bernard National Wildlife Reserve last week was the bitterns. We had missed them on my first visit to San Bernard and I was a little unsure of just how and where to find them.

As luck would have it, I came across not one but two bitterns foraging along the edges of Moccasin Pond. The first one was found about a quarter mile into the loop. It was idly wandering around the long grass at the water's edge, seemingly much more interested in a big yellow butterfly that kept flittering nearby than it was in my truck moving slowly down the road.


American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)


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Lifer!!

The second bittern was a bit harder to spot, located among the reeds and grasses at the far end of the pond. He was standing stock-still, having just completed a successful hunting venture.


After grabbing a few nice shots of this fierce-eyed hunter with his bloody prey dangling from his open bill, I moved slowly along so as not to frighten or disturb him without cause. He must have taken his prize and moved back into the cover of the reeds soon after I left, because none of the folks I talked to later in the morning had spotted this second bird. I guess I was just in the right place at the right time!


For more great bird photos from around the world, check out Bird Photography Weekly #30.