19/01/2013 Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB

Grey Heron: A scene played out on the main scrape at BMW which was truly amazing!

The main scrape was completely frozen, and had been for a few days except for a few broken parts in the ice.

There were few birds around except for a Greylag Goose and a handful of Teal until a very hungry and  adaptable Grey Heron flew in from the reeds at the back.

The bird made a bee-line for a solitary Teal which was happily mulling around in one of the broken pools within the ice.

The Heron grabbed the Teal and started to dunk it in and out of the exposed water in an attempt to drown the bird! The Teal tried to flap and struggle for a good five minutes, until it broke free.

Teal: The lucky duck shot off around the visitor centre and landed in the old fishery pool next to the reception hide, from hot pursuit of the hungry Heron.

This was a bit of brilliant bird behaviour, I've seen Heron's take Frogs and Fish and I have been told stories of them taking Water Rail but never an adult Duck!


It goes to show how hard wildlife are finding the recent cold snap and how adaptable Herons are.