Species of Special Concern in Pennsylvania

This is the first American Bittern I've ever seen and he was gracious enough to pose for photos. I was in the ENWR, shooting tree swallows flying around in golden light. I did a scan of the marsh and I happened to catch what looked like a heron bill poking out of the marsh grass about 100 yards away. I glassed it and was momentarily disappointed that it wasn't a heron. Quickly I was very excited upon realizing that it was a Bittern! Bitterns are a species of special concern in Pennsylvania. Habitat loss has caused serious reductions in their populations and the number of locations where they nest is small. If you notice the markings on the neck, it's easy to see why they are difficult to spot when they stick to marsh vegeation. They're very well camoflauged. Like herons and egrets, they move very slowly and deliberately. I watched him strike at a fish or small frog and I was amazed. They go from a total standstill to a flash of action in a split second. I'm not sure if he got his meal or not and I soon left him to his business.