NATURE NOTES
The grey heron – patient fisher of mountain lochs & streams
In the uplands, what fish there are get little rest from the likes of otters and ospreys. But it seems there’s another creature out there too, seizing the opportunities that the others miss.
The grey heron is a familiar bird to many of us, common as it is in lowland and coastal areas – basically anywhere with water. If you’d asked me a few years ago if herons frequent mountain habitats, I’d have said no. But for some reason, I now notice them in our uplands on a regular basis.
Heron numbers are at their highest since recording began, this being largely down to legal protection. But the heron’s real skill is its adaptability in habitat choice. This nearly always involves water, choosing to reside everywhere from lakes, rivers, ponds, beaches, estuaries, ditches, even in fields. So it is mountain lochs and streams, particularly in the glens, where we’ll encounter them, a habitat that will probably be too extreme come a harsh winter. Cold is the worst enemy for a bird that, on average, lives for five years.
With a wingspan of 175cm and a total body length (with legs extended) of 102cm, herons are just a little smaller than golden eagles. Both sexes are the same size, and if there’s one flying they’re easy to spot and identify. Their large rounded wings will be in the shape of the letter ‘m’, and they beat those wings in a slow, deliberate motion. In flight, the bird’s long neck will be tucked in, while the legs will trail behind, making them hard to miss. The back of a heron is mid-grey in colour, while the neck ranges from white through to light grey. Black flecks streak that long, powerful neck in an attractive way. The white head of the bird is also adorned with a black band extending from behind the eye, culminating in a dangling black crest. Legs are a greyish/ yellow, much like the bill. However, this turns a richer, more orange shade in the breeding season. Lastly, that bill, the heron’s main weapon, is long and appropriately dagger-shaped. The call of the heron is usually heard as they fly to roost – if you hear a harsh ‘Kark’ sound, then that’s probably it.
But don’t be fooled by its slightly eccentric appearance, as the heron is designed for one purpose and one purpose only – to hunt. If hunting in its
