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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
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