Bittern Sweet

On a trip last week to the Yuba Pass for the Codger's cam trap workshop, the guys from CTC and I dropped in on Marble Hot Springs Road to see what birds might be about.

And, while it was a bit late in the season - the Yellow-headed Blackbirds were gone, and the Sandhill Cranes and White-faced Ibis scarce - a bold American Bittern gave us quite a show as it went about its daily duties a mere 25 feet away...


American Bittern, Botaurus lentiginosus, hunting at Marble Hot Springs Road


Bittern sees something...


The freeze - waiting for the perfect moment...


Sploosh!


Bittern spears a metamorphing bullfrog that still has its tail


Now to get the struggling frog off of its bill without losing it...


While also getting rid of the pond weed...


Almost there...


Bye, bye bullfrog


Gulp


Bittern happy face after eating the tasty bullfrog


Uh oh - Bittern sees something else...


Targeting...


A giant water beetle - yum!


And off to the next course...

On the far shore, a well-hidden bystander also watched the Bittern - and us.

Glad JK's sharp eyes spotted it.


Wilson's Snipe, Gallinago delicata, frozen on the opposite bank

Fortunately for the Wilson's, none of us had our snipe huntin' bags. Just cameras.

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References:

• Wikipedia - American Bittern
• Wikipedia - Wilson's Snipe
• Wikipedia - Snipe hunt

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