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Image Taken on 27 Mar 2009 at 07:42    Image of day on 17 Apr 2009

This heron arrived outside the kitchen window so we grabbed a camera and took a few pics in the awkward light and through the double glazing. We are not sure what the newt is, but from the size suspect Great Crested Newt which have been positively confirmed in this pond.


Ref: 20090417_db1_20090327_0742_019 heron at dragon pond eating newt(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 11 Mar 2011 at 11:13    Image of day on 15 Apr 2011

This juvenile heron spent a few minutes at a pond in the late morning, It's usual prey at this pond is Smooth & Great Crested Newts, and the odd frog, but we didn't see it catch anything. We haven't spotted a single frog this year in any pond, and there are only about 10 clumps of spawn in just one (not this) pond.


Ref: 20110415_d01_20110311_1113_003 juvenile heron at duck pond(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 23 Apr 2010 at 17:52    Image of day on 26 May 2010

A heron down to some serious newt hunting. What a huge bird for such tiny helpless prey wrapped round the end of it's beak.


Ref: 20100526_d01_20100423_1752_215 heron at duck pond catching newt in flurry of wings 09 of 14 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 23 Apr 2010 at 17:58    Image of day on 29 May 2010

Gotcha! (subsequent frames not included here showed he caught a newt)


Ref: 20100529_d01_20100423_1758_289 heron at duck pond catching newt in with water splash (selected frames) 1 of 7 (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 30 May 2008 at 10:34    Image of day on 08 Jun 2008

On a grander scale to yesterdays Blackbird and grub, a heron took a few newts from the duck-shaped pond - this one at least being the protected 'Great Crested' newt (which is the dominant species on our patch).


Ref: 20080608_d01_20080530_1034_006 heron at duck pond eating great crested newt(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 27 Mar 2009 at 07:44    Image of day on 17 Apr 2009

A portrait of the 'culprit' taken a couple of minutes later.


Ref: 20090417_db1_20090327_0744_031 heron at front of dragon pond (crop 3)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 06 Mar 2008 at 13:58    Image of day on 02 Apr 2008

The image you see is a heron that has just caught a pair of mating frogs. If that is gruesome enough for you stop here!
The bird couldn't swallow the linked pair, so repeatedly threw them back into the water to separate them, and then ate one. We didn't find any remains of the other and assume it survived. A day or so later we spotted spawn in the area - maybe success in their final act. An animated sequence of 15 images is at Heron Eating Frog Sequence.


Ref: 20080402_d01_20080306_1358_129 heron catches mating frogs (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 20 Mar 2009 at 14:45    Image of day on 14 Apr 2009

A heron visiting Round pond has been feasting on frogs and a few newts. Here is a moment from one of the sequences that is clear but not too upsetting.


Ref: 20090414_dc1_20090320_1445_485 heron catching & eating frog at round pond 51 of 66 (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 30 Nov 2011 at 12:51    Image of day on 03 Jan 2012

Although this heron has been mostly catching worms in the meadow, here it has caught a fieldmouse incautiously out in daylight. It caught it at the edge of long grass along with a lot of dead grass, shook it about obviously still very much alive, turned it round (last frame we show), then crushed it in the beak and swallowed it. The last few images might upset some of you, so we have stopped before it becomes more graphic. They are available on request as usual.


Ref: 20120103_d01_20111130_1251_197+204+_1252_219 heron catching & swallowing live fieldmouse 28+35+50 of 64 (mixed scale montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 17 Apr 2008 at 15:40    Image of day on 03 May 2008

This mature heron spent about 45 minutes catching at least 15 newts (mostly the protected great-crested!) at the duck shaped pond. Here is a sequence of one such taken over about 1 minute. (1) Grab from water, (2 & 3) manoeuvre head first, (4 & 5) down it goes.


Ref: 20080503_d01_20080417_1540_283-324 heron catching and swallowing newt (montage of 5)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 30 Mar 2010 at 11:24    Image of day on 04 May 2010

We have no idea how many Newts we have in this pond, but it must be hundreds to stand the annual predation by herons. In 6 minutes this one heron took at least 3 and we don't know how long he had been there before we noticed it. It worked along the back edge right to left as viewed here dispatching newts with obvious skill.


Ref: 20100504_d01_20100330_1124_114 heron catching great crested newt 06 of 11 (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 21 Mar 2007 at 09:29    Image of day on 04 Apr 2007

Slightly earlier than previous years a heron is catching great crested newts in at least two of the ponds. The only time we get to see these cautious newts is in the beak of a heron.
Correction 12 Jan 2009: This is a Smooth Newt - thanks to Barry Kemp for the info.


Ref: 20070404_d10_20070321_0929_015 heron catching great crested newt in dragon pond (3 of 4) (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 15 Apr 2009 at 10:46    Image of day on 10 May 2009

On a rather overcast day this heron spent 10 minutes downing 6 assorted Great Crested Newts & Smooth Newts. This poor little thing is the smaller Smooth Newt.


Ref: 20090510_d01_20090415_1046_216 heron catching great crested newts & smooth newts at duck pond 13 of 15 (web crop 2)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 11 Jul 2008 at 13:15    Image of day on 25 Jul 2008

Ref: 20080725_d01_20080711_1315_072 heron clambering out of duck pond with great crested newt & pond weed in beak(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image of day on 21 Feb 2005

Not for the squeamish! On 28 Apr 2003 we got a whole series of images of herons feasting on frogs. Also seen as early as mid-February but not this year yet. More such feasts including Great Crested Newt on the Home Page > Birds > Herons.


Ref: 20050221_d32_03951 heron eating frog (cropped)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 23 Apr 2010 at 17:23    Image of day on 26 May 2010

Journalists love finding 'unfortunate' pictures of 'notables' caught in awkward poses. Well this heron walking to our left with one leg in the air, looking our way & decorated with daffodils shows you can make even this hunter look a bit daft!


Ref: 20100526_dc1_20100423_1723_057 heron facing camera while walking sideways with daffodils (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 19 Mar 2011 at 09:03    Image of day on 17 Apr 2011

This low-flying Heron didn't seem to notice us. The long neck is often folded back like this in flight and sometimes for hunting gradually preparing to shoot the head forward.


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Image Taken on 15 Apr 2012 at 08:28    Image of day on 13 May 2012

Walking into the kitchen we spotted this heron wonderfully blending with the trees and willow branches. This is the only frame we got before it saw us through the window and departed.


Ref: 20120513_df1_20120415_0828_067 heron hidden in west of main pond (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 02 May 2006 at 12:08    Image of day on 09 May 2006

A heron has started visiting the ponds. Here he is hunting opposite kitchen window. Tomorrow - what he caught.


Ref: 20060509_d10_20060502_1208_340 heron hunting in dragon pond (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 04 Jan 2011 at 14:16    Image of day on 25 Feb 2011

The large ponds were STILL iced 3 weeks after the freeze-up, and the heron is still hunting in the soggy meadow. We didn't see it catch anything this time.


Ref: 20110225_d01_20110104_1416_010 heron hunting in meadow (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

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