[EBB Sightings] American Bittern Continues at Lake Elizabeth

Pat Bacchetti and I went down to Lake Elizabeth in Fremont this  
morning to look for the American Bittern at New Marsh first reported  
by Stephanie Floyd and seen subsequently by other observers.

The bird appeared around 11:30, continuing its somewhat regular  
schedule of showing up from late morning to early afternoon. Pat  
spotted the bittern as it flew from the west side of the marsh to the  
east side, where it landed and proceeded to preen. Initially Pat had  
heard, but could not see, a large bird moving through the reeds on  
the east side of the marsh, in the exact spot from which the bittern  
later emerged. The bittern was still there when we departed around noon.

While waiting for the bittern we saw the following: Sora, standing at  
the edge of the marsh and vocalizing persistently; Loggerhead Shrike,  
hunting from a tree top near the marsh; Golden Eagle, soaring against  
the distant hills to the east; and Peregrine Falcon, flying over the  
marsh from north to south.

The Ross's Geese and Cackling Geese were also present.

Judith Dunham
Berkeley