herons

trev (100M bronze) · May 6, 2009

I was sat fishing today, and on the far bank there was a Heron stalking the shallows, it stabbed at a fish and I saw it take out a small Carp about 2- 3 lbs (guess) once it had it in its beak it walked it up the bank onto some grass and stabbed at it several times more before it stopped flipping. It tried to pick it up to swallow it head first but couldnt manage it. Eventually it went back to the edge to try again.Some crows moved in on the fish so I guess it didnt die in vain. The Heron did the same thing with a similar sized fish not more than an hour later.

Any one know why they take fish that are too big for them to eat ?

Fred Bonney · May 6, 2009

Size don't matter

ChrisMannering · May 6, 2009

Those photo's are amazing/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif

Fred Bonney · May 6, 2009

I was looking for one from yesterdays Guardian centre pages, another great shot with a fish.

Ray Daywalker Clarke · May 6, 2009

A friend of mine had some fish go missing from his pond, Koi's and ghost carp,he thought a cat was taking the odd fish, this went on for a couple of weeks.

One morning one of his sons was coming home from a night on the drink, it was around 5.30am, he went into the kitchen, looked out the window and there was the Heron eyeing up its next meal.

He covered the pond with a net to stop it happening again, but lost fish between 3 to 4lb.

slime monster · May 6, 2009

I saw a heron take and eventually swallow an eel around 2lb

Rickrod · May 6, 2009

I saw a heron trying to eat a bream of about 2lb but give up after a few attempts

Morespiders · May 7, 2009

Herons will catch fish to big to eat, then eat thier eyes out, I also witnessed a heron eat 4 moorhen chicks on the Hampshire Avon many moons ago.

Beautifull bird though

Rickrod · May 7, 2009

Beautifull and very shy

Graham Whatmore · May 7, 2009

It is nature in the raw, it is what herons do, they catch fish. Have you ever watched films of the brown bears feasting on salmon when they run up river to spawn, catch it, bite out the stomach then discard it and carry on fishing. A waste? Not really because there is always some other creature that will benefit from that discarded fish that is natures way.

Watching a heron feed is something I have done many times whilst fishing and I am still amazed at the birds patience and stillness whilst waiting for a meal, you would think a fish would see this very large bird standing over them wouldn't you, but apparently not. Something worth thinking about the next time you go crawling through the undergrowth because tradition dictates that standing up frightens the fish.

Phillips Jerry · May 7, 2009

What is the Heron population of England ?

What is the Cormorant population ?

There was a picture the other day in my paper of a Heron eating a baby rabbit

Alan Tyler · May 7, 2009

Shy, my foot... one day when the Lea was pushing through like a cocoa Orinoco, one came and stood about six feet away to scrounge fish off me!

Vile species-ist and size-ist that I am, I let it have any gudgeon and small roach I caught, but quietly slipped any chublets and goer roach back on my heronless side.

Those mad, yellow eyes gawping at me along that stiletto beak make a memory that won't easily fade.

Ray Daywalker Clarke · May 7, 2009

Some years ago just out side Newport Pagnell there used to be an area known as Heron Island, I had never seen so many, this was on the Ouse at Tyringham Hall.

There are not so many there today, but I am not sure what that is down to. Great to see them first thing in the morning when the summer mist is just starting to lift from the water, and there is the Heron, in the margins looking for breakfast.

DZ · May 7, 2009

Heron eats bunny wabbit

But the eyes bigger than stomach ratio seems even bigger with the black death...

Keith M · May 7, 2009

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Ray Daywalker Clarke wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>

Some years ago just out side Newport Pagnell there used to be an area known as Heron Island, I had never seen so many, this was on the Ouse at Tyringham Hall.

There are not so many there today, but I am not sure what that is down to. Great to see them first thing in the morning when the summer mist is just starting to lift from the water, and there is the Heron, in the margins looking for breakfast.</blockquote>

We used to Fish for Carp atWalthamstow reserviourand one of the Islands there was like that, we had never seen so many Heronsin one place. they used to all fly in different directions in the early morning and return to roost in the evening.

I don't know if it's the same now though.

slime monster · May 7, 2009

Iwas approached by a close to death starving heron when ice fishing during a very cold spell, the poor creature was found dead a few days later.

trev (100M bronze) · May 7, 2009

Probably couldnt fit you all in its beak then, and decided to look else where. You were very lucky.

slime monster · May 7, 2009

/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gifIt may have then 1970s but it sure as hell would struggle now

Dave Slater · May 8, 2009

I don't think they are that shy. On a few different occasions I have had one sit right next to me in the early morning on the Stour for several minutes. I am usually already settled and alone when this happens so perhaps they don't like a lot of disturbance but they are certainly not too shy as surely they must know I am there.

andrew duffield999 · May 8, 2009

Decade plus ago the Road Bridge swim on the Coppermill at Walthamstow catching stamp roach on hemp heron opposite, eventually roach attached to line heron attached to roach, line a rod going skywards !!!

In my opinion their fear/boldness are driven by hunger and habit

herons

Well-known member

Fred Bonney

Guest

New member

Fred Bonney

Guest

Well-known member

Senior Member

Well-known member

Senior Member

Well-known member

Senior Member

Phillips Jerry

Guest

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Senior Member

Well-known member

Senior Member

Dave Slater

Guest

New member