Well, it happened again! After searching for more than 2 years to get a
glimse of a bittern, it has now happened to me two weekends in a row in
two separate locations! Two weeks ago I spotted one three different
times at Spencer Island. On Sunday, my wife Rosi and I visited the Rifle
Refuge near Vancouver B.C. I had been there previously looking in vain
for a reported bittern. We were at the same area that I'd looked at
before, and as I was pointing at a towhee, Rosi grabbed my arm and had me
watch a bittern landing no more than 25 feet away from us across a small
canal on a cattail island. Once landed, however, it seemed to disappear
off the face of the earth. We peered at that little island more than 15
minutes but were unable to see the bittern again. Their camouflage is
incredible!

We were also treated to the two resident Sandhill Cranes that were
walking on the lawn next to the visitors center. Another great sight was
perhaps a thousand snow geese all rising and honking when a bald eagle
flew over them. And on the way to the island, we stopped and admired a
group of trumpeter swans in a field. All together a great birding
experience!

wjansen