American bitterns escape notice by blending in with their surroundings in wetlands. Their plumage and coloring, from head to toe, are designed to hide the bird in the marsh vegetation. The bitterns stand with their beak pointed up and sway with the surrounding reeds to enhance the camouflage. Even their eyes are designed to function in this pose.
Like most ducks, gadwalls avoid people, especially in regions where they can be hunted. It took me a while to find a cooperative member of this species, but I was rewarded for my patience when this male swam close by during its early morning foraging. I found the reflections of the dry reeds a nice complement to the gadwall's muted colors.
Male yellow-headed blackbirds are striking looking birds with their black and bright yellow plumage. One of the images I had envisioned of this species was in its spring habitat where the blackbird would stand out against the green surroundings. So, I was happy to see this blackbird fly into a pack of reeds and show up a few moments later. It stayed for a few seconds before darting back into the reeds, but that was enough for me to fire a couple of shots.
