Is this a bittern?

[Eurobabe]

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. well that is a cleat, actually

bitts are more vertical

oh, you mean the bird?

looks more heron-like to me, could be a bittern

[Eurobabe]

4. you really had

me going there for a split second. :thumbsup:

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

5. well as a retired Coast Guard

Boatswain's Mate, cleats, bitts, chocks, and bollards were my life

[jhain]

7. hey- my son

was a 'boats' in Hatteras for a long time!

[Maestro]

2. The little bit I see of the neck shows stripes that are

characteristic of a bittern but the body and back plumage make me think Green Heron. Also, bitterns rarely venture out in the relatively wide open like this. They are usually hidden among reeds and tall marsh grasses. My gut is to say that it is whatever the European cousin is to the American Green Heron.

[Eurobabe]

3. Sorry, I should have added that this was taken in the Caribbean

on Turks & Caicos Islands, south of the Bahamas. It was a small bird, and took off shortly after I photographed it, I swear it was a bittern. :shrug:

[NV Whino]

6. it is a bittern

green herons have long necks.

[Eurobabe]

9. That was the first thing that came into my brain

(which was addled by the way, by too much rum-punch :rofl: )

[Muttocracy]

8. neat! nt

[Adsos Letter]

10. It does look a bit bitter, but with birds it's hard to tell...

were you mocking, teasing, or otherwise belittling it?...any of those could lead to bitterness, especially coming from someone enjoying the luxury of a Caribbean vacation... :D

How's the cold?

[Eurobabe]

11. It's a BITTER BITTERN

for Obama I guess. :rofl:

I am almost all better, hubby not so well, possible pneumonia? We'll find out today. :scared:

[alfredo]

12. American Bittern

[Eurobabe]

13. It was vacationing in Turks and Caicos then.

:rofl:

[alfredo]

14. Used its frequent flier miles.

[Eurobabe]

15. Those don't get you SQUAT these days

FFlyers are lower than whale shit. Ask me how I was treated by Delta after they reschduled my flight causing me to miss the once daily connection from ATL to PLS?

Lower than whale shit I tell you. :eyes:

[alfredo]

16. I refuse to fly.

[On the Road]

17. It Might be a Black-Crowned Night Heron

Its range includes the Caribbean. The adult usually has white underparts, but juveniles can be darker. If you heard it make noise, their song is an ugly, throaty squawk.

I've only seen one Green Heron, but I thought it was a lot slimmer and is also rarer.

The bittern pics I saw were also slimmer. Have had difficulty pasting pics from this computer, but they are easy to Google.