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Paddling my kayak, ok - mostly drifting very slowly, through the early morning fog, I spotted this Least Bittern. It was feeding at the edge of the cattails and open water of Dunbar Slough. The early morning sunlight, penetrating through a very light fog, really enhanced the richness of colors.
Bitterns can be easily overlooked for several reasons. One, their coloration allows them to blend in with their surroundings. And second, they are masters of remaining motionless.
I saw this bird pull several leeches from the duck-weed covered water. One leech curled up around the tip of the bill, making it difficult for the bittern to consume its prey. With a few violent shakes of the head, the leech was finally dislodged but also slipped out of the bill and back into the water. |