I went to Swan Harbor Farm Park in Harford County this morning with the intention of staying until I observed an AMERICAN BITTERN. I eventually saw two individuals, both of which flushed and flew away, muttering as they flew. (The second bird was distant from where the first bird had landed.) Both birds were at the far northeast finger of the pond when they flushed. After seeing the first bird, I encountered Jane Scocca of the Harford Bird Club, and while we were talking, the second bittern stood up in the marsh about 15' from where we were standing, froze for a moment, and then flew off. We were chagrined to have missed it and impressed with its stealth.

Before walking the perimeter of the marsh, I had spent about an hour in the blind when I started hearing two LEAST BITTERNS calling. I was positive of the ID, as it matched perfectly with my memory and my recordings, but nervous about the early date. A consultation with Dr. Hubick revealed that another birder, who must be behind in his lists, had observed Least Bittern here on Saturday evening.

I was at the park for many hours and tallied 57 species without looking very hard, as I was concentrating on the bitterns. (I had hoped to see a Least Bittern fly up, but did not.) At the beginning of my visit I had run into Dave Webb and he told me there had been an Eared Grebe in the new impoundment yesterday evening, but neither of us found it.

While scoping the Purple Martin gourds to get a count, I spotted a bright YELLOW WARBLER in the flowering tree behind the gourds, not a notable species but a fun sighting.

Leslie Starr
Baltimore

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