The TRICOLORED HERON continues at Holcim Wetlands east of Florence though it is not always seen. When I got there at mid-morning today Mel and Jeanne Goff were there but had not seen it. I had found it on the north side of the wetlands as I walked around and got them on the bird. Apparently there were others earlier today who missed it also. Since late on Friday I have only seen this bird on this north side of the wetlands which is not accessible as this area is closed for nesting season. I suspect that the lack of human disturbance is the reason it has been in this location. So do check this north part of the wetlands which can be viewed from trail on either the east side (best in mornings) or west side (best in afternoon) or even from the south side (view is across the large expanse of cattails but about the same distance as the other locations) depending on where the sun is to avoid glare. It is now a few hundred feet away so though it can be seen clearly with good binoculars a scope view would be better. I suspect the heron is just moving to a location with cattails that obstruct the view of it. Some had thought it might be flying to another location but I think it would be more likely seen flying up and out of the Holcim Wetlands than just across a short distance to some cattails. It disappeared from view this morning where I had refound it on the north side of the wetlands by late morning but the Goff's had seen it and it was too hot to walk around to look for it. I have uploaded a photo of this bird I took from the south side (again well magnified by my camera set up and cropping but shows what one might see in a good scope view) on my Birds and Nature blog <http://birdsandnature.blogspot.com/> (located right below bittern photo).
The Goffs and I also saw not only 'the' LEAST BITTERN but two LEAST BITTERNS this morning in the cattails. Mel first saw something fly in to a clump of cattails that was not a common bird then a few minutes later I spotted a LEAST BITTERN at the bottom of some cattails. As Mel and Jeanne got onto this one a second LEAST BITTERN flew in very near the first one--but they both flew into the middle of the cattails very quickly so the view was of very limited duration. Since this species has nested here before I think it is likely that there was a male and female LEAST BITTERN. Most of the photos taken yesterday by several of us showed a female LEAST BITTERN but I took a photo that I believe shows a male. I didn't have a view of the back but the neck and sides are a lot darker than the 'pale yellow buff' (field mark for female per Sibley's)-the neck and sides were chestnut brown or what Cornell's All About Birds website calls 'warm orange-brown' in my opinion. I have posted that photo on my Birds and Nature blog <http://birdsandnature.blogspot.com/> and welcome constructive comments (please no flames) For those who are still interested in looking for these birds the weather is forecast to be less hot tomorrow (highs in lower 80's). If you see a pair of sunglasses I lost mine yesterday there. Please stay on the trail especially when these birds are fairly close to the shore so they do not get flushed so these rare birds are not disturbed and so they are not pushed away so the many others who want to see them can. 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/CAAUvckoNHMR5qRVVbdyGB1sMC7RWgBDF0D%2BSgtU0Q7RuRmNBMg%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
