[exile]

I drive along the very busy A41 in Bucks on my way to work and on quite a few mornings recently I have passed a Heron either stood close to the hedgerow or walking along it, only about 10ft from the road. There is water a few hundred yards away but non at all at this particular spot. I presume there is a good reason why it should be stood staring into the underground, but anyone know what that reason might be?
Cheers

[Stranger]

Probably a food source,voles or mice maybe.
I pass a Heron every morning at the same place,it totally ignores me unless I slow down or stop,then off it flies

[Keith Dickinson]

a complete guess but could it be looking for frogs/toads that have come out of hibernation?

[fugl]

Hunting small rodents, maybe. On my side of the pond, the Great Blue Heron--a close relative of your bird--commonly hunts mice & voles in the way you describe. Another target might be moles which both species of heron are known to feed on.

[Cheshire Birder]

It will be hunting for food. Presumably frogs/toads/small insects. A few times driving home from my parents late at night i've seen Grey Herons feeding by a main road feeding on the grassy verge.

CB

[exile]

Thanks folks. Makes sense! I often see a Buzzard, sometimes two, on posts in that area so it may be a prolific spot for some kind of prey.

[WesBirder]

I too have seen Grey Heron feeding by the roadside. Thanks for explaining why they are prepared to get so close to the traffic. I have found that they will remain by the roadside if you drive by them at the speed the traffic normally moves at, but if you slow down to get a good look they will fly away!

[GaryG2010]

Grey Herons are one of our most fearsome predators, they will take anything as small as a damselfly up to a tufted duck as seen here http://www.flickr.com/photos/ggwildl...th/5327794119/ if I am not allowed to leave this link please let me know and I will remove it. dont discount herons using hedgerows for small birds too.

[fugl]

Originally Posted by GaryG2010

Grey Herons are one of our most fearsome predators, they will take anything as small as a damselfly up to a tufted duck as seen here http://www.flickr.com/photos/ggwildl...th/5327794119/ if I am not allowed to leave this link please let me know and I will remove it. dont discount herons using hedgerows for small birds too.

Great series of photos: thanks for posting the link.