Hello again ONTBirders, Although it was not an unusual place to find one of these, I thought it was an unusual time of year to find one. My wife and I located a single AMERICAN BITTERN no more than ten feet from the main trail at Petrie Island in Orleans, ON. The bittern stayed motionless much of the time, as it characteristic of this species, but did so out in the open, providing great viewing and a number of photos. After several minutes, the bittern snatched a small fish and then became very nervous and flew off to the other side of the pond and disappeared in the pondweeds.
My wife and I spent the morning birding the eastern end of Ottawa, stopping at Mer Bleue Bog and Petrie Island. The only noteworthy sighting at the Bog was a brief fly-by of a GREAT EGRET. The egret appeared to take off from somewhere in the bog, but we did not find another one there. At Petrie Island we observed an AMERICAN BITTERN for several minutes. The bird was very accommodating and uncharacteristically out in the open. We watched it snatch a small fish before flying off into some pondweeds further offshore and disappearing from sight. Although this species is far from unusual at this location, it seems a bit late in the season for them...but I could be mistaken. American Bittern profile: http://pj-mcblake.smugmug.com/gallery/5837964_Zvhbh#362148778_Dp2Cm Bittern hunts: http://pj-mcblake.smugmug.com/gallery/5837964_Zvhbh#362148805_nZ2Xu The catch: http://pj-mcblake.smugmug.com/gallery/5837964_Zvhbh#362148815_vWMDR Good birding! Pat DIRECTIONS (courtesy NeilyWorld): Mer Bleue Bog: From Highway 417 (The Queensway) take exit 112 (Innes Road). If travelling west, the 0.2 km offramp dumps you right or northeast onto Innes. If driving east, a 0.3 km offramp brings you to Innes Road, where you will turn left or northeast onto it and in 0.5 km join the westbound offramp traffic. Both groups will now follow Innes Road northeast 1.8 km from here to Anderson Road. Turn right or southeast into Anderson Road and go 4.9 km to Ridge Road. Turn left or east onto Ridge and drive 2.6 km to a parking area at its end. Petrie Island: From Highway 417 (The Queensway) take exit 113 (Ottawa-Carleton 174, formerly Highway 17). Stay in the left lanes to take this exit. Go WNW 14.2 km to the Petrie Islands exit, Trim Road. Turn left or NNW on it and go 0.7 km to the causeway to Petrie Islands _________________________________________________________________ Find hidden words, unscramble celebrity names, or try the ultimate crossword puzzle with Live Search Games. Play now! http://g.msn.ca/ca55/212_______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
