05/29/2026
Rare bird alert!!! There were 2 Least bitterns at DP yesterday evening! Both were callng at each other in the beaver pond wetland just off County Road 46, along the north side. In the video you can hear them calling, making that low cooing/gutteral sound. It almost sounds like a loud frog. Only a handful of Least bitterns have been ever been reported in Cass County as their range is further south in MN. This is the first record at Deep Portage.
They can easily be visually misindentified as green herons or an American bittern, both which are common at Deep Portage but easily distinguished by calls. We have more ID info in the comments!
