American Bittern - Make like a reed and disappear

Startle an American Bittern, and it will stretch up its neck and freeze in place — which I guess makes this bird think it's hiding, invisible to my sight... And that may work if it's deep in the reeds, though the strategy is markedly less successful if the Bittern is standing at the side of a Saskatchewan grid road, foot lifted as if to begin its agonisingly slow walk back into the marsh.

American Bittern, on Saskatchewan grid road. © SB

What is this? American Bittern (Butor d'Amérique)
Location: Near Yellowgrass, Saskatchewan
Photo date: May 21, 2012.

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