On Mon, 14 Aug 1995, Ellen Blackstone wrote:

>
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> Wow, Jon--you've just reminded me of one more of those "popular" bird
> names that we've discussed before. I grew up in Iowa, and knew the
> American Bittern by the name "shitepoke." // So where did YOU grow up,
> Jon? Anyone else know either the heron or the bittern by this name? Where
> did this come from? --EB
>
Ellen--

I grew up in Ipswich,MA (across from Pluh Mylin)...the GBH was the Rodney
Dangerfield of Birddom..*it didn't get no respect*.. and was generally
referred to by the appellation of *Sh*tpoke* without the benefit of the
*e* after the *t*...when I arrived out here I was surprised to
find the *e* after the *t* and wrote it off as an attempt to make the
term socially acceptable...and then I thought, well maybe it's a Germanic
derivation from their slang term for excrement...*sheitz*...given the
Nordic influence in the area...but then I began actually seeing this term
in print and gradually came to accept it as one of those late-coming West
Coastisms...Most of the locals I grew up with figured it got its name
from its feeding behavior, perceived as *poking around in the sh**..
Interesting little conundrum...

Tom