Sunday 23 April 2017

Dingle - Night Heron part 1

I've run out of superlatives now for this amazing adult male Night Heron which has crossed my path twice now. Amazing etc doesn't begin to convey how well it was showing (on occasions) today!! And now we know where it spends the time when not at Venus Pool! Talking to regulars in the Dingle, it was seen on Friday as well as yesterday...

I nearly didn't connect after a wasted journey at 7.00am (April opening time is 10.00!). I was on another mission until just after midday and had to suffer the agonies of seeing news and pics indicating it wasn't showing well... amazingly well!!

Luckily it was in full view on arrival and here's the first hour or so of proceedings. Most are in vertical format (cos they are full frame!!) it was the only way I could get both the head and feet in!




As ever, mostly inactive apart from a bit of feather bristling...



Or a ruffle...


And staking out the water down below for fish?



Here's a few compressed indigestible fish parts being coughed up!


And then after a brief interlude under a bush...


It proceeded to more towards the only two birders present (myself and Dave Chapman)






Best foot forward!

This water's getting deep!


And did you know Night Herons can swim? Of course they can!


You could sense a move was imminent?


And then this...


No complaints so far and things were going to get a whole lot better!!