Getting in from work tonight there was an eerie quiet on the Home Reserve. Yes, there was birdsong from our usual crew, but the happy chitter-chatter from the heron nest I had been so longing for was not there.
With a heavy heart, I trod down to the bottom of the reserve where the heronry is, and was saddened to see the nearly 3-week old chick was lifeless on the floor. Under examination, the chick was well-formed and a good weight, so an accidental death looks to have been the cause.
The nest is some 60-70 feet up in the tree-tops, and I am wondering if the nest has been dislodged during the winter storms, as it did seem to be lobsided looking at it from below. Herons don't build a new nest every year, but simply add more twigs to an existing nest - and consequently eventually they do sometimes come crashing down as they are so heavy.
I can only hope that there are other nests in operation not yet with chicks, as the silence is now deafening.
Nigel
Wild Bird Advice and information
Many people would help birds more, if they knew simple easy ways in which they could help wild birds, without going to too-much extra trouble. Often there are ways to help – that don’t actually ‘cost’ anything at all, but can make a huge difference to making birds welcome and safe in the environment around us.
One of the main causes of bird injuries (especially young birds in the summer months), is being attacked by both pet and feral cats. A simple way to combat thi
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