My birding buddy from Edmonds called Tuesday and
wanted to meet me half way at Spencer Is. Our purpose
was to find Bitterns, and we definitely were not
disappointed! We had great looks at them across the
main dike trail. The *unk-a-lunks* were many but
subdued in volume. We often saw pairs and often
threes(?) flying together. We noted how Bitterns flap
their wings much more rapidly than the Great Blue
Herons. I would guess that we saw more than a dozen
individuals throughout the evening. Also had
wonderful looks at Common Yellowthroats in breeding
behavior. Heard a Virginia Rail but didn't see it.
Had a great look at a Merlin which was swarmed by
swallows. Several Osprey sightings capped off the
evening. We were practically alone in this wildlife
paradise; however some young yaboos came tearing up
the road in their jeep raising a big dust cloud,
turned sharply into the "temporary" parking just ahead
of the bridge and came crashing to a halt. They must
have felt the "No Parking Beyond This Point sign way
back by the sewage disposal plant didn't apply to
them. They then proceeded across the bridge and
again, ignoring the sign, went into the barn. I was
fearful they would light up and carelessly dispose of
the match. Thankfully that didn't happen. It would
seems that regulations are absolutely useless if they
aren't enforced. I can't remember the last time I
encountered any authorities there. But it was a
glorious evening, and we went away basking in our
Bitten experience!

Wes Jansen
jansen98 at earthlink.net

--- Ruth Sullivan <GODWIT at worldnet.att.net> wrote:
> Hello Tweeters,
> As we was driving around the Auto tour in Ridgefield
> on Sunday,we was
> treated to a spectacle display of a courtship by an
> American Bittern.I been
> seeing many Bittern in the field,but i never saw a
> Bittern on displaying a
> courtship.This bird was right on the road in the
> open .displaying some soft
> white feathers around in the neck area and also
> white feathers what got all
> pluffed up as he gurgled his oank call moving his
> beak high in the air,
> As his troat was swelling to a big ball,when he
> called.We did not leaving
> the car,and watched this bird at least thirty
> minutes.I got my photos back
> today and there are awesone in this display.I know
> some one on tweeters
> earlier mention this paticular plumage what only can
> be sighted when there
> doing there courtship.Since there is no photo in any
> birdbook sighted on
> this,it must be hard to ever see.It reminds me of a
> breeding male Sage
> Grouse on breeding grounds.
> There is always a surprise waiting for you when one
> least expected.I wonder
> how many biders a fortune ever saw this display in
> close encounter.This was
> my first and it was such trill to see this bird so
> close and so long.
>
> Ruth Sullivan
> godwit at worldnet.att.net
> tacoma
>


=====
Wes and Rosi Jansen
Fine Feathered Friends
603 Morris St.
P.O. Box 875
LaConner, WA 98257
(360)466-5002

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