Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Least Bittern
Scientific name:	[Ixobrychus exilis]
Date:	5/29/24
Time:	9:30am
Length of time observed:	5+ min
Number:	1
Age:
Sex:
Location:	Southeast end of Sand Hollow Reservoir, Eastside Campground below wellhouse building #22
County:	Washington
Latilong:
Elevation:	~2800 ft
Distance to bird:	~50 yards
Optical equipment:	N/A
Weather:	clear, warm, calm
Light Conditions:	Bright sunshine to my back
Description: Size of bird:
(Description:) Basic Shape:
(Description:) Overall Pattern:
(Description:) Bill Type:
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Audio only. Vocalized several times over 5+ minutes, sometimes with lengthy pauses, sometimes more-or-less consecutively. Very simple, distinctive "song": 4-6 soft (usually 5), low-pitched, slightly descending and decrescendoing: "hhoof-hhoof-hhoof-hhoof-hhoof" or "wolf wolf wolf wolf wolf." (See comments below.)
Song or call & method of delivery:	See above
Behavior:	Hidden in reed grasses/cattails.
Habitat:	Reed grasses/cattails in shallows on Sand Hollow's southeast side high-water shoreline. A few scattered young cottonwoods and willows(?) in the flooded shallows and some medium-size tamarisk and other scrub further in from the shore.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	I did not attempt to eliminate other candidates because of the distinctive vocalization.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	I listened long and hard to a Least Bittern vocalizing very near this same spot on May 3. I was with Alex Harper listening to Least Bittern at Henderson (NV) Bird Viewing Center last January.
References consulted:	None, other than Stokes audio
Description from:	From memory
Observer:	Paul Hicks
Observer's address:	1630 E 2450 So #26, St George 84790
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	None
Date prepared:	5/30/24
Additional material:
Additional comments:	Since I was in this location hoping (unsuccessfully) to encounter the American Bittern recently reported by Asher Lee, I did play a recording just to see if the Least Bittern of May 3 might still be present. This bird responded almost immediately, but with a pace almost twice that of the previous hearing. I wonder if this is because (1) this was a different individual or (2) the pace was due to my initiating the recording. I stopped playback immediately and the bird kept singing, more sporadically (less frequently) than on May 3, but delivered the notes at the same quicker pace throughout. It was also not quite so deeply buried in the reeds. Location: Southeast end of Sand Hollow Reservoir, toward the shore from Well #22 in the primitive Eastside Campground beyond the end of the asphalt. Other birds present: Coot, PB Grebe, GT Grackle, RW & YH Blackbird, Yellow Warbler, Bullock's Oriole. *In my previous report of 5/3/24 for LEAST BITTERN I said the location was the south side, but in checking the map it was actually southeast or east-southeast. [The location in the previous report has been changed].