American Bittern

[JohnK]

I went to a local wetlands area over lunch today and saw this guy through the grass. This was the first time I've ever seen one of these, they're a fairly small bird, much smaller than the great blue heron, this one didn't look much taller/longer than a duck.

As you can tell from the shadows it was heavily back lit, it took a fair amount of fill light in post to bring up the detail (and grain). Unfortunately it didn't stick around long enough to play around with exposure settings, and I'm not to quick with the D300s yet.

D300S

ISO: 360

Exposure: 1/800 sec

Aperture: 8.0

Focal Length: 500mm

[WAG416]

Kind of an odd looking Bird.

reminds me of when our environmental science class had to do a project with the Bitterns on the Agassiz Refuge.

Very nice photos, it brings back memories ! thanks for sharing

[Deitz Dittrich]

nice pict. Looks quite a bit like a Green Heron.. Very cool looking bird.

[ShawnZ]

It's a green heron. I like the look of the raised crest as it is walking towards you in the last image.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I'm confused?.. American Bittern and Green Heron are the same bird?.. This ones chest is a different color than most Green Herons I have seen, but body shape is very similar?

Help?

[JohnK]

It does look very similar to a green heron - in the last photo it looks like a road runner! But every shot of a green heron I've seen show them with a red neck, and the bitterns have the brown and white striped neck.

They're both members of the heron family.

[wishing for walleyes]

All very nice photos,but the last one i like the most.

[Hwood]

American Bittern has got some size to it, and makes a noise that had me stumped for several years.

[finnbay]

Quote:

and makes a noise that had me stumped for several years

We used to call them "slough pumpers" when I was a kid!

[panthrcat]

he reminds me of a road runner! great images of a funny looking bird