Juan Salas has been hot lately. The birder who found an Eastern Whippoorwill earlier this week has found Brooklyn birders another gem: Least Bittern!
Reported early this morning on the Upper Pool southeastern shore, seen by mob of birders, the slow moving bird stuck around for me to see it in late afternoon. For work even I'm in the park keeps me obligated till I check out at 4 pm ( I'm not able to do so on my lunch hours) .
I had to go to the bank on 7th avenue to get cash ( I'm an old dinosaur for that matter, cold cash for my wallet) because I needed to give a birthday cash gift tonight for my great niece turning 8. I confessed that I was tempted to take the train home from there but figured why pay car fare if I could've avoid the ATM fee out of network. So I decided to walk home. It's a good thing I did that because the Bittern I found out later from a passing birder on 9th Street , was still around: it stuck it out
So I took my time. Upon approach to Falkill Falls, I spotted several birders looking down before Falkill
Falls bridge. I asked Danielle K if she had the bird. yup. She tried her best to tell me where." In front of the flat rock perched in the tree tangles, partially hidden". It took me about ten minutes but finally I see an orangey object. Got it!
For the next 30 minutes, we watched and relocated it several times with birders helping each other..till eventually the bittern is really cooperative, sitting on the western shoreline,perched on broken branches in the waterfall outlet . Such a moment and happy this bird stuck around for me to see it 🤗
"Sunshine and spring bring out the best in everyone."
-- Kenny Chesney ,country singer