Return to moorhen home page

Return to section index


Image-of-the-Day by Subject


Birds - Herons, Egret & Snipe Page 5

Image Taken on 02 Apr 2010 at 16:31    Image of day on 11 May 2010

The herons are still going after the newts and several make occasional visits over our patch, but do a flyover if we are already outside. Always trying for that unusual image, this flyover produced an unusual shadow of the heron's head on its own under-wing, complete with light spot when the sun is shining through the nostril holes in the beak (no fiddling - genuine single frame just exposure corrected & cropped).


Ref: 20100511_df1_20100402_1631_202 heron in flight with beak and nostril shadow on wing (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 13 Jul 2013 at 17:54    Image of day on 29 Aug 2013

"Heatwave Heron"
This Heron quietly flew past beak wide open and tongue lolling from side to side. We guess the bird was HOT!


Ref: 20130829_df1_20130713_1754_180+194 heron in flight with tongue lolling from open beak in heatwave (selected) 1+2 of 3 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg


Image Taken on 30 Nov 2017 at 12:12    Image of day on 04 Jan 2018

This juvenile Heron is becoming a regular visitor, hunting in the overgrown meadow as here, and visiting the main and duck-shaped ponds.


Ref: 20180104_d01_20171130_1212_006_fb6 heron in meadow veiled by tall foliage(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 07 Jun 2009 at 14:05    Image of day on 08 Jul 2009

Juvenile Herons often seem to have trouble swallowing their catches. We don't know what this one caught, but it took the bird 3 minutes to swallow it before it flew off. There are more heron pics at the Moorhen Site heron page


Ref: 20090708_d01_20090607_1405_006 juvenile heron in middle of swallowing unknown item over about 3 minutes(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 10 Aug 2008 at 13:54    Image of day on 24 Aug 2008

A juvenile heron visited the 'Duck pond' and walked around for a few minutes. It was obvious it didn't enjoy the strong wind ruffling the feathers. We didn't see him catch anything.


Ref: 20080824_d01_20080810_1354_006 heron juvenile at duck pond(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 30 Nov 2017 at 09:54    Image of day on 04 Jan 2018

The Heron quietly walks by the edge of the pond with neck folded back.
The blue tinge reflects being lit by blue sky above. Our cameras where possible are locked on 'Sunlight' (also OK for Flash) because automatic colour temperature so often goes badly wrong.


Ref: 20180104_df3_20171130_0954_002 heron juvenile at front of main pond flying to back of pond 01 of 22 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 20 Mar 2010 at 13:58    Image of day on 16 Apr 2010

This juvenile heron spent 30 minutes at 'Duck' pond where we saw it catch nothing (inexperienced - a mature bird found 2 Great Crested Newts in 5 minutes). It then flew (instead of the usual walk) to Round pond where it first took a single frog and then this mating pair from right where we later found the spawn.
After several minutes throwing them about on the ground behind the pond it separated the pair and swallowed one of them. We didn't see where the other went and think it may have survived - there was no sign of it in the water or the bank behind a few minutes after the heron left.


Ref: 20100416_dc1_20100320_1358_052 heron juvenile catching mating frogs at round pond and eating one 08 of 24 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 13 Jan 2012 at 12:40    Image of day on 12 Feb 2012

This juvenile heron seems to have taken a 'shine' to our patch, and hunts in the meadow and 'Duck' pond for hours on end. It doesn't land if we are out but makes a leisurely exit as here. Taken at about 5 fps but spaced too close in this montage so you can enjoy the bird.


Ref: 20120212_df1_20120113_1240_052-055 heron juvenile flyby 1-4 of 7 (arb montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg


Image Taken on 06 Nov 2013 at 09:26    Image of day on 25 Dec 2013

But he finally spotted humans altogether uncomfortably close (Herons don't understand glass!) and departed.


Ref: 20131225_df1_20131106_0926_035-037 heron juvenile flying away from main pond 2-4 of 4 (slightly stretched montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg


Image Taken on 06 Nov 2013 at 09:26    Image of day on 25 Dec 2013

When it started to launch we expected it to disappear, but instead it fluttered into the edge of the pond. The camera was struggling with light and focus and the frame rate was only 2 or 3 fps.


Ref: 20131225_df1_20131106_0926_019-026 heron juvenile flying from grass into main pond 1-8 of 8 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg


Image Taken on 17 Nov 2011 at 08:55    Image of day on 24 Dec 2011

This juvenile heron spent some 20 minutes avidly hunting in the meadow, including about 5 minutes mostly hidden in the tall weeds, stock still and focussed on something it eventually lunged at, but we never saw what it was.


Ref: 20111224_d01_20111117_0855_013 heron juvenile in meadow near duck pond (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 06 Nov 2013 at 09:26    Image of day on 25 Dec 2013

A Christmas Day Greeting ...
We spotted this juvenile Heron land on the grass outside the kitchen and we crept into the dark kitchen to see what images we could get.


Ref: 20131225_df1_20131106_0926_017 heron juvenile on grass by main pond (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 31 Mar 2014 at 15:28    Image of day on 15 May 2014

Any big bird gets harassed by Rooks from the nearby Rookery. This Juvenile heron spent some time flying around the area with one or more Rooks chasing it. The heron finally decided to land at the lake on the far side of the brook, and the final Rook peeled off. The horse just kept on munching!


Ref: 20140515_df2_20140331_1528_217+219+221+223 heron juvenile pursued by rook @ 7fps 9+11+13+15 of 15 (accurate montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg


Image Taken on 01 Feb 2012 at 15:22    Image of day on 07 Mar 2012

We don't know what the heron might hope to find in this frozen pond and we didn't see anything caught. But we did catch it's launch when disturbed by a tall lorry on the track about 25 metres behind.


Ref: 20120307_d01_20120201_1522_137-141 heron juvenile takeoff from within duck pond 04-08 of 11 (montage @ 5 fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg


Image Taken on 10 Aug 2008 at 13:57    Image of day on 24 Aug 2008

He took off in no particular hurry - these two successive frames were taken probably 150 mSec apart.


Ref: 20080824_d01_20080810_1357_022 heron juvenile taking off from duck pond(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 10 Aug 2008 at 13:57    Image of day on 24 Aug 2008




Ref: 20080824_d01_20080810_1357_023 heron juvenile taking off from duck pond(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 11 May 2011 at 15:47    Image of day on 04 Jun 2011

Strong North winds have brought a number of birds close over our patch giving us the chance of some in-flight portraits. This Heron did a particularly nice turn over the house.


Ref: 20110604_df1_20110511_1547_098 heron making overhead flight in strong wind (selected frames) 04 of 16 (crop)(r+mb id@1024).jpg


Image Taken on 11 May 2011 at 15:48    Image of day on 04 Jun 2011




Ref: 20110604_df1_20110511_1548_110 heron making overhead flight in strong wind (selected frames) 10 of 16 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 11 May 2011 at 15:48    Image of day on 04 Jun 2011




Ref: 20110604_df1_20110511_1548_116 heron making overhead flight in strong wind (selected frames) 11 of 16 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 25 Sep 2014 at 09:08    Image of day on 07 Dec 2014

On the CCTV we saw this heron land outside the kitchen and we crept into the kitchen for a few pics.


Ref: 20141207_df2_20140925_0908_021 heron on grass in front of main pond (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Backwards

Forwards

 

Comments and requests for image use

To make a comment, ask for information or to request a full resolution image, send us an email including the reference or the date for the image you are interested in.

All initial contacts should be made using the icon below:-

Mail Us