On this day (April 23rd)... 2017 Dingle Night Heron

The Shrewsbury Dingle Night Heron - early days!! You can sense the excitement?!!

Setting the scene, this is the only Heron normally seen in this idyllic Shrewsbury garden known as The Dingle!

No superlatives in part one? Bloody hell, absolutely amazing, the Night Heron has not only flown towards us... but landed in a bank side bush in full view! It doesn't look close, does it but it's less than 10m from the bank!

The only questions being asked were, how quickly can I get the converter off and why hadn't I got a shorter focal length lens with me (again)

OK, Converter is now removed but it's still frame filling!!

And walking closer... OMG!

Now there's no alternative, a close up fest beckons...

I'm staying calm!

I was almost relieved when it flew back over to the other side of the pool? Noooo, it''s still too close! (Only kidding) :-)

And if you've never seen a Night Heron's tongue?

I walked around to the far bank - the shot I'd been hankering for - Shrewsbury Night Heron - in habitat!!

Just another ordinary day turned rather extraordinary!!! You couldn't have scripted this?

Shrewsbury Dingle - American Night Heron

I haven't been to see the Shrewsbury American Night Heron since 4th May! I'd kinda lost interest given the location, crowds, etc. but I hadn't forgotten about it! Mainly because it's on 'everyone's? list apart from a few out of county disbelievers and to validate it (if you are of the BOU persuasion) , it needs acceptance by BBRC/BOURC? And of course there is no proven 'finder' apart from mysterious unknown visitors / birders in the 'Woodland' Hide at VP back on 7th April. So, if you were sat in the hide during that afternoon, please come forward... The rarity form will go in, whatever... I've already been in contact with Martyn Owen (County recorder) and we will ensure it moves forward (* see end note). Also, there have been claims the bird is wasting away and I wanted to see for my own two eyes...

Yep, nothing changes?

Apart from the choice of vantage / launch point!

Say ahhhh - I hadn't seen his tongue before? He looks well doesn't he!!

And still actively catching (usually) fish!

I think he missed this time!

And I finally got a decent flight sequence which eluded me in May, so here it is from start to finish...

A bit of a splash in the middle!

Before landing out of view.

* Back to the 'record'... It's morphed from European to American Night Heron and loose feathers which were collected after preening (thanks Simon Slade) during the summer have now been sent for DNA analysis. Whilst on head pattern it's perfect for hoactli, it would be nice to have this backed up! Then the question of origin arises? I'm adopting a 'wild unless proven captive' stance. There is no ring, there is no ring mark. It was incredibly skulking whilst at VP (going missing for days in the twiggery) and now has settled into a location which provides safety, plenty of food and he's learnt to make the most of it all! There's plenty of evidence on the web that US birds do exactly the same thing over there! Night Herons are intelligent birds and seem to 'learn' better than some humans methinks? They become 'Town Birds' in gardens parks etc. Question is, what's his next move...

Dingle - Night Heron goes walkabout!

A sleepy start to the day and business as usual with the Night Heron showing well but one thing which was blatantly obvious was a mark or strip of material on the right foot!

Contrary to news which seemed to be abounding on twitter later in the day, it's not a ring mark. It's a strip of leaf, petal or some form of vegetation which had become firmly attached to the leg (much akinto the screen protector on your phone!)

And it most definitely wasn't there on Sunday!!

So, with that misinformation put to bed... Sleepyhead seems to have woken now and totally out of the blue, flew to the far end of the pool...

There it was, perched up on the brickwork!

And preparing to go walkabout!

Best foot forward, you can see how the strip of vegetation doesn't extend behind the leg...

And if you haven't seen it, note the missing claw...

Wondering where to go next? Note the leaves.. similar colour to the attached material!

Taking life one step at a time...

And clearly not too keen on the local Mallards!!

Sending them scattering :-)

The final party piece?

A bit uncertain about this 'deep water'?

In fact, clearly pertrified of it!!

I returned in the evening, curious to see if the material had become detached? Looking like more ring marks are now attached in various colours?! You can see the original strip is still attached at this point!

After a bit of a wobbly...

Flying once again to the other end of the pool!

But just look what's disappeared after this particular flight!

Any doubters still out there? Mystery solved, elementary my dear Night Heron!

And with the gates about to be locked, a final tantalising pose!

Yes, we can see you...