Yes, the Tiger-Heron

After a day of plain old non-chasing birding, yesterday afternoon (12/28) my friend Debra C. and I went back down to Bentsen State Park (south of Mission, TX). We arrived about 4:30 pm. We learned that the Bare-faced Tiger-Heron had been seen in the early morning, but not since. The day before (6/27) it had been seen as a mostly poorly seen silhouette at 6:20 PM. We waited, we talked to other birders (probably about 35), and waited some more. It was heavily overcast and by 6:00 was getting quite dusky out. We peered into the gloom, feeling gloomier as discussed the forecast for today for rain, cold rain. We were not looking forward to a day of standing in the rain, but were determined to try if need be. Thank goodness, we did not need to. At 6:18 PM, a cry went up, and ALL of us saw the large distinctive tiger-heron silhouette fly cross the levee from north to south, swing over the trees, circle back a bit and drop out of sight. Lots of cheers, hugs, exclamations, sighs of relief. We trekked out, found some supper and headed back to Rockport, ecstatic and tired. The Bare-faced Tiger-Heron has never, before this bird, been seen in the United States!! It is very possible that unless people see this particular bird they will never have a chance to see one north of the border.