Field Notes
No. 02
No. 02
12th August 2026
Heron
Walking early in Chislehurst woods to avoid the coming heat, this was a surprise. Motionless and with a fixated gaze, I initially thought this was a sculpture. But then the sculpture moved. In hindsight I should have aimed lower to include the heron's full reflection so this isn't the great picture it could have been as I zoomed to avoid frightening them.
At a glance
SpeciesGrey Heron
Latin nameArdea cinerea
FamilyArdeidae
Size84–102cm, wingspan 155–195cm
HabitatRivers, lakes, ponds, marshes and coastal shallows; increasingly seen in gardens
Key facts
- Despite its size, a heron weighs surprisingly little — often not much more than a pheasant
- Hunts by standing motionless in shallow water, spearing fish with a swift strike of its dagger-like bill
- Nests colonially in treetop sites called heronries, some occupied for decades
Member comments