Concord, Mass.
1912.
May 5
[May 5, 1912]

Feeding habits of the Bittern

  Forenoon sunny but hazy with light S.W. [Southwest] wind. Afternoon cloudy.
  As Mr. & Mrs. William Stone and I were paddling up
river about 10 A.M. we saw a small dull-colored Bittern, evidently
a female, sneaking along the margin of the water at "Hunt's Pond"
(a small marsh bordered lagoon extending back from the river). At first
the bird seemed to be trying to elude our observation but soon
she ceased to show any fear of us and gave all her attention
to a systematic quest for food. Paddling slowly or merely
drifting in the canoes when the light wind served we kept within
thirty yards of her for fully half an hour using our glasses freely.
During this time she covered a distance of sixty or seventy yards
walking very slowly along the grassy shore in a crouching attitude
with head and neck drawn in. Four times she stopped, extended
her neck to its full length about on a level with her breast
with bill pointing somewhat downward, remained fixed
& statuesque in this attitude for several seconds and then