NIGHT HERON
This heron is also known as the black-crowned heron and is extremely nervous, well the bird that I have photographed was. It took 2 weeks to get these shots. This is a medium sized heron, quite stocky, with a short powerful bill. As an adult, they have a black crown and black back with light grey wings. They have a red eye and yellow legs which turn pinky-red during the breeding season. The heron that I finally managed to photograph is in its second year, I think, as it has a streaked chest and a grey crown.
The night heron is so called, as it is usually seen at dusk and dawn, whilst feeding, spending the day roosting in trees. They feed on fish and amphibians and stalk them in typical heron fashion, with their bodies low and poised for a strike. Saying all of this, I photographed this heron in mid afternoon on a sunny May day. This may have been because it had young to feed and required more hunting time.
