"It was quite humbling for me."
After a disappointing and "controversial" round-four loss against Hikurangi, in which the Stags scored two points on the fulltime hooter to win 18-16, Bird was elated with his team's effort in turning the tables on one of the in-form teams this season.
"After coming off a loss last week we're rapt because we're playing to our strength, which is up the middle with our big boys.
"We've got new halves, so they're growing in the game now.
"Also a lot of [former] rugby players first year and we're five games into it now and they're [just] finding their feet which is huge."
Although the final scoreline depicted a different scenario, the game was level at halftime, with both teams drawn on 14 points.
As drizzle cleared late in the piece, Portland made use of a slight tailwind to bounce clear of the Tiger's clawing last gasp.
Attacking the Panthers line several times in the dying stages of the match, the Tigers were unable to penetrate the hardy Portland defensive line.
Another impressive outing from Alex Salase kept the Portland side in tow, with the fulltime score leaving little to be said for the efforts of the Moerewa side, most of whom looked spent after a dizzying second spell.
Coach Bird says his team "know it's still early days", despite their emphatic win over one of the premiership's heavy hitters.
"We're trying to create a good culture within this club, not just the seniors, but right through with the schoolboys and that."
Saturday's win bumps the Panthers well inside the top four, though Bird says his side aren't too keen to move right up the ladder this early in the season.
"That's where we want to hang, we don't want to be the target," he says.
"We're happy where we are. As long as we get in the top four to top six, that's our main goal this year."
