Friends, this is how i most often see the American bittern, stalking thru the ponds hunting for food, the black stripe from the corner of his mouth and extending down his neck is a distinguishing characteristic of this stocky heron.  He looks stocky in this image, but when alarmed or when hunting, he stretches his neck vertically and with the striping on his neck, he thinks that he blends in with the vertical sedges and cattails in the marsh. In the image below you can see the striping on his neck. til Tomorrow MJ