I didn't go out to Holcim Wetlands until mid-morning again thinking that the TRICOLORED HERON would for sure be there since I watched it (apparently twice, not 2 birds doggone it) go down into the cattails at dusk to settle in for the night. However, it had not been found so 4 birders left. Not long afterwards I spotted it on the far north side of the wetlands as did a remaining group of 4 birders who had been on the west side looking for it but all of those returned and got to see it.
Not long after the TRICOLORED HERON was spotted a LEAST BITTERN was spotted flying into the cattails about 30-40 feet from the shore. After looking intensely all of us were able to refind it perched in a large clump of cattails. By midday the LEAST BITTERN had been found 3 times so everyone who were there (at least those there from mid-morning) got to see it also. I got some photos of the LEAST BITTERN and have posted the first set on myBirds and Nature blog<http://birdsandnature.blogspot.com/>. These show the original photo, a moderately cropped version and a very tightly cropped version to give folks both a good view of the bird and a idea of how hard it is to see it even when not far away. I do have a request so these rare birds are not disturbed and so they are not pushed away so the many others who want to see them can: please stay on the trail especially when these birds are fairly close to the shore so they do not get flushed. My photos have all been taken from the trail and for the TRICOLORED I stayed behind vegetation to reduce disturbance. And please do not play recordings of the bittern--it has nested in this location and is likely nesting or going to nest again. SeEtta Moss Canon City Personal blog @ http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com Blogging for Birds an Blooms Magazine @ http://BirdsAndBloomsBlog.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAAUvckoX8egtAWGjkXQzzSNN6Pg8uA1wffDpK-1OBHSFrOyFQg%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.