About 1:30 PM yesterday, the 5th, I spotted what I think was a green heron on Clay Brook in the Chaffee WMA in Lyme.  I must have spooked it b/c it flew by me, headed south, as soon as I emerged from the trees on the southern of the two spur trails to the brook.   Briefly flew down the brook towards Post Pond, then veered west and settled out of sight in the reeds just north of the first boathouse.  Never tucked its head in, so I saw a reddish to turquoise upper body, length and wingspan about what the guides suggest for a green heron. Didn't see the striped neck Sibley tells me is striking in the American bittern and this seemed to be a smaller bird.  Still, I note that the American Bittern is reported as relatively common to the area and I can't find reports of a Green Heron there. And the observation was relatively brief — we were both startled and the bird responded more quickly than I did.  Beautiful to watch.

Anyone out there have any ideas about this?  I'll head back there about the same time in a day or so and see if I can find it again.

Vic Henningsen

Thetford Center