This month, go heron watching – but try not to be seen
Gillian Clarke presents the grey heron on Tweet of the Day
THE GREY HERON BREEDING SEASON IS but weeks away – from early February, these birds start to pair up and construct their messy stick nests. In the meantime, short midwinter days can be excellent for heron watching. Grey herons do much of their hunting in the half-light around dawn and dusk, striding through the shallows or standing stock-still with a characteristic hunched neck. Approach cautiously, because they are famously nervy, quick to take off with an irritated croak. As naturalist Amy-Jane Beer says in The Flow, “herons can’t bear to be watched,” adding it may help to scrutinise them sidelong.
Between their solitary fishing sessions, grey herons spend an inordinate amount of time standing around in fields, often in groups. It appears that while loafing they are simply digesting their last meal. Given they can swallow eels 20–30cm long, these may be pretty substantial.