[EBB Sightings] American Bittern (Contra Costa edition)

Today I braved the fog to follow up on the Schorrs' report from Contra
Loma yesterday.

The west end of Contra Loma Reservoir held two Soras (which were very
cooperative) and a Virginia Rail (which was not: a brief glimpse fleeing
into the cattails). I found just one snipe and no teal of either color.

I stopped at Antioch Municipal Reservoir (corner of Golf Course Road and
Lone Tree) on the way home hoping that the teal had switched lakes. While
the only unusual duck was a solitary male shoveler, I was rewarded with an
American Bittern stalking the fringes of the island in the middle of the
lake. A scope would be necessary if the bird remains at the distance it
was today.

 Good birding,
 Jeff Hoppes
 El Cerrito

> Today after lunch and after the fog lifted we birded at Contra Loma
> Regional Park, and in addition to the usual suspects we had excellent
> views of the following birds:
> Blue-winged Teal - 3
> Green-winged Teal - 8
> Northern Shoveler - 10
> Gadwall - 1
> Wilson's Snipe - 2
> Sora - 1
> Virginia Rail - 1
> Interestingly, the Sora and Virginia Rail were side by side out in
> the open while feeding in a shallow muddy inlet.
> Good birding,
> Paul and Nancy Schorr, Antioch