16/09/2021 Gronant, Clwd

Squacco Heron: Finally caught up with a bird who in the past has given me the run around, after dipping one in Lincolnshire and Cleveland I was was pleased to finally be able to add this very smart bird to my British list. 

Squacco's breed in southern Europe and the Middle East, and migrates to Africa for the winter feeding on  insects, fish and amphibians. While watching the bird i saw it actively hunting dragonflies. 

When we arrived the bird had left Big Pool Wood Nature Reserve, we missed it by around 40 minutes. Here ist was showing incredibly well, at point blank range. 

Eventually Gary Edwards relocated at Lyon at Mary's caravan park, not far as the heron flies.

There is a larger pond here where the bird was huntin and resting. Gary negotiated access with the caravan park owners who allowed birders on and within 10 minutes the folk were arriving. 

The bird remained on this pool for around half an hour before flying off south and not picked up again for the rest of the day. 

Despite missing out on the point blank view, the bird still showed very well and I was lucky to see it at all before it did a bunk. 

Big thanks to Gary for arranging access and Patrick Earith for the first two images. showing the heron at close range.