Please note I am listing this sighting as "probable". Yesterday, while walking my dog at Lathrop State Park, I saw what I am 99% sure was a Least Bittern. I was by myself, with no camera. The bird was at North Martin Inlet on the west side of the lake. It was in the cattails adjacent the path to the north of the parking lot. The first thing I noticed was the classic bittern pose. Next was that it was straddling the reeds and up fairly high in them...judging from the height of the reeds I would estimate the size at around 12-13". It had a very yellow beak...which looked too small for American Bittern...legs were also yellow. Throat was streaked light brown. I did not see the back of the bird...it was facing me...but did see buffy almost golden flanks. I eliminated juvenile Green Heron due to size, leg color and the lack of bold streaking in neck. Next I eliminated juvenile Black and Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, due to size, bill shape and color, and eye color (these have red eyes). The pattern of, and color of streaking was also off. Mind you, as we all do, these assessments were made in the *maybe* 10 seconds I viewed the bird. I took my bins down to get a gist of where I was...and the bird dove down into the reeds.
When I arrived back at my car...took out the ragged Sibley's and went through it point by point...the *only *match would be Juvenile Least Bittern. Paul, my loving husband and favorite birding buddy, and I went out last evening armed with calls, and camera. We spent almost two hours...no response. Are hoping to go back out one morning this weekend. Polly Wren Neldner La Veta Huerfano County -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en.
