Most photographers are happy just to see an American Bittern.

Watching one swim across open water is another matter entirely.

I photographed this bird from the Marsh Boardwalk at Point Pelee as it quietly crossed a stretch of open water, sitting surprisingly low in the marsh and leaving a gentle wake behind it. In more than forty years of photographing birds, I can count on one hand the number of times I have watched a bittern swim for any length of time.

Most of the time, American Bitterns remain hidden among cattails and reeds where their camouflage makes them nearly invisible.

Have you ever seen — or better yet, photographed — an American Bittern swimming?

I'd love to hear your story in the comments. These birds spend so much of their lives hidden among reeds and cattails that even many experienced birders and photographers never witness this behaviour. If you've had the good fortune to watch one swim, tell us where it happened and what the experience was like.