2021: Photographic Year in Review
December 31, 2021 - I spent the better part of a weekend in June observing a family of Least Bitterns at Lake Apopka.... Read more
Least Bittern
 | I’m even more secretive than my cousin the American Bittern. I dwell in the reeds of bullrushes, using my big feet to keep my balance as I walk along the branches. Look for me at places like Viera Wetlands or Lake Apopka. Most Likely Found: In a pond, In the marsh When: Summer Where I've photographed: Circle B Bar Reserve, Lake Apopka, Orlando Wetlands, Polk Rookery, Viera Wetlands Read more: Least Bittern at Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ebird: Least Bittern eBird range |
I have written 42 posts including a photo of a Least Bittern
Small Hints of Fall at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
September 19, 2021 - As our Black-necked Stilts and Least Bitterns start making their way south for the winter, it's nice to say hello to returning friends!... The Least Bitterns haven't left yet and I miss them already!... Read more
Juvenile Barn Swallows at LAWD
September 5, 2021 - It's been a great year for Least Bitterns.... Read more
Mid-July Visit to Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
September 2, 2021 - I paused by the little island where my Least Bittern family grew up.... It's been a great summer for Least Bitterns!... My last Least Bittern of the morning was very close to my car.... Read more
Finding Your Cooties…what you see when you sit in one place
August 31, 2021 - You can't go to Lake Apopka and photograph just Least Bitterns, even if your primary subjects are three tiny Least Bittern babies.... That's the home of my Least Bittern family!... A Least Bittern male flew out from the marsh grasses.... Read more
Least Bittern Babies!
August 29, 2021 - A few minutes after photographing the amazing Saharan Dust Sunrise, a very nice lady pointed out the trio of Least Bittern babies in a nearby clump of grasses.... As I walked away, I spotted one of the parents flying in the distance, and finally scored a decent Least Bittern flight…... Read more
Continuing Quest for Least Bittern Flight Shots at LAWD
August 23, 2021 - My quest for Least Bittern flight shots continued in mid-June.... I spotted a Least Bittern perched quietly in some distant reeds.... Read more
Mid-June Visit to Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 19, 2021 - I can't go to LAWD without photographing Least Bitterns.... This summer has been really good for Least Bitterns.... Read more
More Babies on the South Shore of Lake Apopka
August 13, 2021 - Deep in the reeds, I spotted a Least Bittern.... Read more
Another Early June Lake Apopka Morning
August 9, 2021 - My last photos of the day were of a Least Bittern.... Read more
Baby Bitterns and More at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 7, 2021 - I hadn't driven very far when I found a few friends - and they were watching a baby Least Bittern!... I found a Least Bittern in my favorite Least Bittern hangout.... Read more
Least Bittern Gymnastics
July 17, 2021 - One of the most reliable places I know to find Least Bittern is at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive.... Read more
Afternoon Walk with Rich at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 11, 2021 - A Least Bittern was fishing in the reeds.... Read more
Summer Life at the Edge of Lake Apopka
July 9, 2021 - When I first arrived, a female Least Bittern was fishing at the edge of the reeds.... The male Least Bittern popped out to see what was going on, confirming my suspicion that there's probably some nesting going on in those reeds!... Every once in a while, I noticed a Least…... Read more
More from the South Shore of Lake Apopka
July 7, 2021 - A Least Bittern started up a game of Peek-a-boo from within the reeds.... I got a few clicks on him, looking forward to the day that the Least Bittern flies at me instead of away from me.... Read more
Summer Families at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 3, 2021 - The Least Bitterns were very active on this morning.... Read more
Black Tern and Baby Black-necked Stilts at LAWD
June 29, 2021 - Least Bitterns are easy to spot during the summer at Lake Apopka.... Read more
A Bittern-ly Foggy Morning at Lake Apopka
May 13, 2021 - The Least Bitterns are back for the summer!... I was there on a foggy morning in mid-April, and I found tons of Least Bitterns along the wildlife drive.... My next Least Bittern was stalking a fish.... Read more
2019: Photographic Year in Review
December 31, 2019 - Around Lake Apopka: House Wren, Black-and-white Warbler, Blue-winged Teals mating, Black-necked Stilt, Sunset, Pied-billed Grebe with Chicks, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Least Bittern, Fulvous Whistling-duck, Barn Swallow, Black-necked Stilt chick, Purple Gallinule chick I made it over to Fort De Soto during spring migration and was rewarded with a rainbow of…... Read more
Summer Birds at Lake Apopka
August 19, 2019 - Plenty of Least Bitterns were also fishing that morning.... Read more
Least Bitterns and Growing Babies at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 30, 2019 - A partly cloudy morning in late June was a perfect day to find Least Bitterns at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive.... Lake Apopka is a great place to go to photograph these small Least Bitterns, who generally stick to the reeds and don't show themselves much in the wetlands.... ...and…... Read more
Some Summer Surprises at Lake Apopka
July 15, 2019 - Least Bitterns were everywhere.... Least Bitterns are known for being fairly secretive birds, but at Lake Apopka, they are pretty easy to find out in the open.... Read more
Bird Family Vignettes from Lake Apopka
June 21, 2019 - Least Bittern Family Further down the drive, I spotted a Least Bittern flying near the edge of the reeds.... I focused in and saw not one, but two Least Bitterns.... Read more
Summer Morning at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
June 9, 2019 - All over the wetlands, I was seeing Least Bitterns fly back and forth.... I finally found a Least Bittern nice and close to the road.... Read more
The First Sign of Fall at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
August 13, 2017 - Back on the drive, we saw a Least Bittern on Welland Road.... My photos always seem to make the Least Bitterns seem bigger than they actually are.... Read more
Lazy Summer Morning at Lake Apopka
August 9, 2017 - Juvenile Least Bitterns seem to be popping up everywhere around the drive.... Read more
Another Summer Morning on LAWD
August 5, 2017 - Speaking of blending in, I found this juvenile Least Bittern sitting straight up in the reeds.... Read more
July 4th at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 26, 2017 - I almost drove past this Least Bittern posing on top of some cattails.... Read more
July 4 Weekend at Lake Apopka
July 20, 2017 - I came across two juvenile Least Bitterns off Lust Road.... Read more
Eyes to the Skies at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
July 8, 2017 - Meet one of the many juvenile Least Bitterns at the wildlife drive.... Read more
Two Cuckoos on a Quest at Lake Apopka
June 26, 2017 - I lost count of the Least Bitterns we saw that morning.... This ended up being my favorite Least Bittern shot because it shows the bird hard at work doing what he does best - surviving!... Read more
A Morning of Possibilities at Lake Apopka
June 22, 2017 - Welland Road is a great spot to look for Least Bitterns.... Another Least Bittern poked his head out to say good morning.... Read more
Addicted to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
June 20, 2017 - Cloudy, drizzly days at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive seem to draw out the Least Bitterns.... At one point I was photographing one Least Bittern, then another TWO flew in!... Read more
Last But Not Least (Bittern) – Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
June 12, 2017 - It was a rainy Friday morning, and apparently rain brings out a common but rare-to-see-out-in-the-open bird: the Least Bittern.... Read more
Sunrise Walk at Orlando Wetlands Park
June 2, 2017 - I spotted a tiny Least Bittern fly into a clump of vegetation.... Least Bitterns don't often come out into the open.... Read more
Hot Summer Days at Orlando Wetlands Park
August 17, 2013 - As we headed along the trail, we found a family of Least Bitterns who were happy to pose for us in the bulrushes.... Read more
Cute Babies at Viera Wetlands
July 9, 2011 - I went to Viera Wetlands on Saturday morning. After all the rain on Friday, I wasn’t optimistic about the light level (I actually didn’t decide to make the drive until Saturday morning at 5am!) There was virtually no sun till the very end of the morning, but the babies were cute and…... Read more
Expect the Unexpected at Viera Wetlands
July 4, 2011 - Dyeyo and I went to Viera Wetlands this morning with hopes of finding some of the babies reported on Birdbrains, and maybe the Fulvous Whistling Duck that was photographed there yesterday. It’s summer, though, and I wasn’t optimistic that we’d find much, especially since we don’t get to Viera often and so are not…... Read more
Father’s Day at the Polk Rookery
June 19, 2011 - We started the morning with a Least Bittern – what a way to start the day! He was completely out from under cover, posing beautifully—for just a second! Then as we turned around in the boat, reached for our cameras, and tried to take his picture, he ducked. This was…... Read more
Spring Morning at Viera Wetlands
April 17, 2011 - Green Heron We drove around the outside of the cells first, just to get a feel for what birds were around. I was hoping to see some Least Bitterns, but we didn't see much at all as we drove around. The Common Moorhens are taking over the ponds again. The…... Read more
Birds and Babies and Alligators, Oh my!
June 27, 2010 - Black-Bellied Whistling Duck Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks We were pleasantly surprised to glance over and see a juvenile Least Bittern stalking its breakfast in a palm. This bird was more out in the open than bitterns usually are, and the nice morning sun contributed to a good picture: Juvenile Least Bittern…... Read more
Still Plenty of Birds at Circle B Bar Reserve
May 16, 2010 - I thought the following head shots were fun of the parent and baby: Sand Hill Crane juvenile Sand Hill Crane adult As we turned onto Marsh Rabbit Run (where we did see a marsh rabbit!), Dyeyo spotted this Least Bittern hiding in the reeds.... Least Bittern There were Black-Bellied Whistling…... Read more