As I strolled the boardwalk last week, one of my favorite birds, the elusive Least Bittern, suddenly appeared!
What a treat to watch her in full view, slowly making her way through the marsh.
But she was soon out of view . . .
This video clip above is a more typical Least Bittern sighting – catching a glimpse in the shadows, just before she slips out of sight.
Birder's Journey 
They really are elusive!
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I always love the chance to see one! Do you have bitterns near you, Kathy?
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They are not as prevalent as they are in Florida, but can be found occasionally – though not for long!
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☺️
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A Least Bittern, sly aesthete of reeds, 🎩🪶 Performed her furtive marshland deeds. 🌾🌫️ With locomotion so discreet, She rendered birdwatchers obsolete. 🤓📚
I wandered there with caffeinated grace ☕🧐 And sunscreen smeared across my face. 🧴😵 When lo! — emergent from the sedge, A feathered phantom near the edge! 👻🐦
Her oculars held ancient lore 👁️✨ Like tiny professors from yore. 🎓📜 She glided forth with stealth sublime, Then vanished faster than my Wi-Fi prime. 📡💀
“Oho!” I cried with scholarly zeal, 📢🧠 “A Botaurus exilis reveal!” (Which made nearby civilians stare 😐👒 As if I’d summoned Voltaire.) 📚⚡
The boardwalk shook with great suspense; My binoculars achieved transcendence. 🔭🌌 Yet every frame I tried to shoot 📸😩 Contained one cattail… and one boot. 👢🌾
The video proved the classic trope: 🎞️😂 A half-seen bird! A glimpse! A hope! One pixel here, one shadow there, Then poof — she dissipates to air. 💨🪄
Such is the Least Bittern’s vocation: To humble human observation. 🧍♂️📉 For every birder, proud and keen, 🦉🏅 Must suffer birds that won’t be seen. 🙈🐤
Yet still we trudge through bog and fen 🥾🌧️ Like overly committed marshland men. Debating plumage, calls, and bills 🗣️📖 While mosquitos feast with savage thrills. 🦟🍽️
So raise a toast to this tiny mystic! 🥂🪶 Elusive, elegant, opportunistic. May she continue, smug and witty, 😌🌾 To ghost us all through swampy city. 🌆🦆
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🤗 Wonderful, Yishai!!! Thank you! Every every verse is an absolute gem!
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💖
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What a great sighting! They are elusive I haven’t seen one in a long time.
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Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting, Deborah! They certainly can be secretive. 😉
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What a rewarding sight to see and be able to click! 👏
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Definitely! I would have liked to take more shots, but she just wasn’t out in the open enough or for long enough.
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Lovely to watch her tread carefully along! I’ve never seen one 😏
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Yes, and it must take some effort for such a small bird to clamber through all of those marsh plants I hope you’ll see one someday, Belinda!
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Beautiful capture BJ, these guys are so elusive and skilled super sleuths.
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Thanks so much for your visit, AB. They certainly are!
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Beautiful sighting, BJ, such a special moment to catch her in full view. I’ve never had the chance to see a Least Bittern, so your photos and video were fascinating.
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I’m glad you enjoyed it. Anita! Yes it was a special opportunity. Perhaps one day you’ll come across a least bittern, but meanwhile thank YOU for sharing so many wonders of nature in your world. ☺️
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A wonderful sighting and beautifully filmed. She looks very graceful as she quietly goes on her way through the marsh.
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Much appreciated, Ann. They truly are graceful in their movements, and their soft brown plumage adds to their loveliness.
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Nice job on that find and the cherry on top video. Hunting those down for the annual check is a pain in the a.. ha.
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I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Happy birding and happy dog competitions!!
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What a wonderful encounter!
I’ve grown accustomed to the frustration of hearing them but seldom seeing them. When one materializes in the reeds, it’s always a surprising treat.
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I completely agree, though I rarely hear them. Just have to watch for a slight movement in the reeds, and those bright eyes peeking out from the marsh.
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I like the striped feathers on this bird’s breast. How fun it is when an unusual bird makes an appearance! I’m always on the lookout for birds where I live in the Pacific NW.
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I love traveling to different areas of the country or the world to see completely new and unique birds. We just came back from a trip to some of the national parks in Utah and Arizona, and I was surprised at how many new birds I saw and heard.
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Sounds like a fun way to explore different places you visit!
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