An unusually hardy American Bittern survived the last five days of near-zero and sub-zero weather by using a partly open groundwater-fed slough along Canal Road just off of Route 104 about 2.5 miles south of the Route 22 intersection west of Circleville, Ohio in Pickaway County, Delorme page 68 D2 (unless it flew in from elsewhere recently). I enjoyed great bright sunlit views today at 2:15 PM looking north from the pull-off about two-tenths of a mile east of R104 near the canal dam. The slough drains under the roadway and the bittern was near the road in a few inches of weedy open water just inside the edge of the ice shelf. It adopted the "reed" pose as I got out of my car to get my scope out of the back. The brown streaked cream white throat and breast drooped down shaggy like a beard. It flew after ten minutes observing. Green legs and dark primaries were clearly visible. I'm sure there are very few recent reports of American Bittern for February south of the Lake Erie drainage area. Peterjohn (2001) suggests it is seasonally accidental in central and southern Ohio. Considering the recent weather--it's a remarkable survivor. Tom Bain The Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, Ross County ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]