Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea
Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/800th @ iso400
While sitting about waiting for Kingfishers to show up this Heron wandered out of the reeds. Opening and closing its beak a couple of times it then brought the rancid contents of its stomach up - not sure what it had been - all that was left looked like some alien being !!!
Down at Moore Nature Reserve there is a heronry at the Eastern Reed bed (this reed bed is a good winter venue for Bitterns) it is not unusual to see a good number of Herons on or around the lakes of the reserve - the birds are very territorial in terms of the stretches of water they occupy and fish in. On most occasions this simply involves one bird chasing the other one out of the area a lot of noise and a frantic chase ensues - at times though the intruder does not move on and a fight will happen. These fights can be quite brutal with the birds tearing at each other with their feet and stabbing at each other with their long beaks.
While sitting about waiting for Kingfishers to show up this Heron wandered out of the reeds. Opening and closing its beak a couple of times it then brought the rancid contents of its stomach up - not sure what it had been - all that was left looked like some alien being !!!
Down at Moore Nature Reserve there is a heronry at the Eastern Reed bed (this reed bed is a good winter venue for Bitterns) it is not unusual to see a good number of Herons on or around the lakes of the reserve - the birds are very territorial in terms of the stretches of water they occupy and fish in. On most occasions this simply involves one bird chasing the other one out of the area a lot of noise and a frantic chase ensues - at times though the intruder does not move on and a fight will happen. These fights can be quite brutal with the birds tearing at each other with their feet and stabbing at each other with their long beaks.