The apparent Least Bittern family continues to amuse birders at Wood Lake Nature Center in Richfield. There is a lot of photo sharing, etc. on the Minnesota Birding Facebook page--and to some extent on the MOU website's "Showcase" page--about these birds, so if you are following them, this message may be redundant. For those who are unfamiliar and would like to learn more about the Least Bitterns, read on:
Today my boyfriend and I got excellent looks at an adult male and distant looks at an adult female. I've been told that there are three juveniles as well. Specifically, the two bitterns were on the west end of the boardwalk closest to the interpretive building (a.k.a the "main" boardwalk). We were there from about 12:30-2pm; others have had luck in the mornings and evenings. A few evenings ago a couple of other birders and I checked Wood Lake and could not find a single one, so seeing these small herons is hit or miss (not surprisingly, given their small stature and secretive nature). The bitterns appeared to work a small area over the course of a half hour; sometimes they would stay in one spot, but more often than not after catching a minnow, they would consume it and duck back into the cattails briefly before returning 5-10 feet further down the "shore." Good birdin'! Alyssa DeRubeis Golden Valley, Hennepin Co. ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
