|
||||
Chris McAllister Limited
The Grey Heron
(Ardea Cinerea)
We have adopted the Grey Heron as our mascot and logo. This is because, where our office is situated, just beside the River Annan, we are provided with regular sightings of this bird. Herons perch on the old sluice just outside our office window.
The grey heron is the largest and commonest heron throughout the British Isles
and seems particularly abundant where we live in Dumfries and Galloway. Herons
nest in tall trees and we have such a heronry at a place called Northfield not
far upstream from us, which probably explains why the birds are so common hereabouts.
The grey heron is best known for its habit of standing solitary in water almost
motionless for hours, waiting for a meal to come along. They eat fish, eels,
elvers etc. from rivers, lakes (and garden ponds) and on land they will hunt
for worms, frogs etc.
Their habit of taking valuable fish from garden ponds makes herons very unpopular
with fishpond owners. Herons are solitary except when nesting and because herons
will avoid fishing near another heron, dummy herons are supposed to keep them
at bay. Our own dummy heron (see above) probably achieves this on our pond,
but it makes no difference because our pond contains no fish anyway.
The herons in these photographs flew away when I tried to approach very close,
so if I can borrow a camera with a proper telephoto lens I hope to be able to
get clearer pictures
