Herons At The Water’s Edge

Recently I have been spending a lot of time at Hespeler Mill Pond in Cambridge. Among a huge variety of bird species there are always great egrets, blue herons, osprey and green herons fishing here in the summer months.  From a few favourite vantage points I can usually come away with a few images I am happy with.

If I am unlucky with the photography, well, I am always pleased to spend a couple of hours watching the activity in relative quiet. I say relative quiet, but, when you sit hidden next to the water trying to be inconspicuous as possible to the wildlife,  you do hear people passing by talking loudly on phones.

A few people do stop to look at the egrets. How can you not? Their pure white feathers stand out against the water. I hear parents and children pointing at them equally impressed. As I have written before, egrets are members of the heron family, just a bit smaller than blue herons.

One of my chosen vantage points is now overgrown with tall grass and shrubs so my line of sight is somewhat compromised. The wind blows the grass in front of my camera lens as I sit on the ground trying to be at eye level with the egrets and herons. But on the weekend, while I was watching an egret about forty metres away – and willing it to come closer – there was movement on a fallen tree branch along the shore.

I recognised it as a green heron, possibly one I had seen earlier, further down the water’s edge.

The heron ran along a tree branch before vanishing. I had returned my attention to the egrets who were pushed out of their fishing site by the appearance of a larger blue heron. When blue herons decide they want to take over a spot they make a loud grunt then fly with their necks elongated in a threatening manner. Normal in-flight posture is with their necks bent in an ‘s’ shape.

The green heron re-appeared. It stood on the branch preening its feathers and occasionally looking at me. The sound of my camera’s shutter had caught its attention. I was afraid it might be scared off but, since I was sitting still and there was about fifteen metres between us, it must have decided I was no threat.

When it suddenly spotted something edible it hopped into the water.

At times where the egrets were at a distance I enjoyed watching the gulls fishing. Indeed, there is no shortage of activity. And I love it when the clouds part and the sun lights up the egrets.

Time is well spent here and I find it helps take my mind off the work that awaits me at home. I highly recommend time at the water’s edge.

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