Saturday evening after much scanning I finally located an AMERICAN BITTERN. Saw it across from Pirie Platform all the way back in the marsh. It was a tough find even w/ the scope, and was mostly still throughout the 15 or so minutes I watched it.
         Today along Black Rail trail I heard a loud rusting in the marsh. I was expecting some sort of mammal--but then the BITTERN flushed up and circled providing a very close flight look.
 With the poor weather migration is a bit behind schedule, but yesteday during the NJAS trip I led we witnessed a modest raptor flight, which included 8+ BROAD-WINGS, 2 KESTREL, 2 HARRIER, 2 SHARPIE, OSPREY, and BLACK VULTURE.
     Also tallied 71+ DC CORMORANTS flying over--the largest flock contained 32+ birds in a V-formation. A few BG GNATCATCHERS and a HERMIT THRUSH were enjoyed by the group.
     Sunday's highlight's included several PURPLE FINCH, a RUSTY BLACKBIRD, GNATCATCHER, KESTREL a pair of PINE WARBLERS, 8+ RC KINGLETS, WILSON'S SNIPE, and a FIELD SPARROW. Yellow-rumps are still in very low #'s. PINE SISKINS are still around including 2+ at my feeders as of Sunday.