Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 11:13:20 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Harvey Mudd Subject: Fwd: [MDOSPREY] Least Bittern advice Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >Could anyone help with some pointers on how to SEE a Least Bittern? >>From all these reports were they "heard only" or seen? Any tips or >pointers on how to find LBs and where to look when in appropriate >habitat would be appreciated. > Bonnie Ott Bonnie: Years ago, each spring Marion and I used to see Least Bitterns regularly = at the marsh in Hughes Hollow. Very rarely, by standing and waiting long enough on the dyke through the marsh one would catch a glimpse of a Least Bittern flying low from spot to spot within the marsh. A much more successful tactic was to wade throught the tall reedy portions of the marsh. This involved going waist- or chest-deep into the water, but we invariably flushed up to half a dozen Least Bitterns within a few minutes once we got to the right area. I don't believe we caused any lasting damage to the habitat or the birds themselves. The major problem with th= is approach was to get back in the car dripping wet with muddy marsh water a= nd drive home. We always thought it was worth it (but I admit we haven't do= ne this now for many years). Harvey Mudd ______________________________ Harvey Mudd 9507 Wadsworth Drive Bethesda, MD 20817 email: shm@codon.nih.gov ========================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ========================================================================= ===========================================================================