Night Heron Swimming Like a Duck (1 Viewer)

Leslie

Well-known member

• Oct 21, 2003

• #1

Hello - I'm wasn't really sure where to post this. I posted it in the gallery, but I'm afraid that since people are uploading pics that they lost, it might get lost in the shuffle. Has anyone ever seen heron exhibiting this behavior? He swam around like a duck! I've consulted a few books and haven't come across any mention of this behavior. Maybe it's not that odd, but I'm just wondering if anyone has seen this before. Thanks in advance for your comments.

Leslie

 

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L

logos

Well-known member

• Oct 21, 2003

• #2

Nope, never seen anything like this before.

Spud

 

J

John Butler

Registered Member

• Oct 21, 2003

• #3

Hi Leslie.

This is not unknown behaviour. I have witnessed this activity in Grey Herons on two occasions here in Donana, although I must admit that I was very surprised when I first saw it.

Regards.

John

 

Andrew Rowlands

Well-known member

• Oct 21, 2003

• #4

New one on me!

Andy.

 

CJW

Hit-and-run WUM

• Oct 21, 2003

• #5

It looks bizarre.

 

D

Dave B Smith

Well-known member

• Oct 21, 2003

• #6

Maybe we could start a thread on possible Night-heron X Seagull cross

Never seen it before either. Good shot by the way!

 

alan_rymer

Well-known member

• Oct 21, 2003

• #7

Saw a Grey Heron this Sumday being harassed by two others. It did exactly the same thing and swam sedately into some reeds where it was too deep for the other two to stand. This process was repeated several times.
It looks bizarre. If you first saw it whilst swimming, would you recognise it?.

I have also seen pigeons (feral ) and crows also land in lakes ( several times ). But only for a few seconds before flying off.

 

Last edited: Oct 21, 2003

Leslie

Well-known member

• Oct 21, 2003

• #8

Hey everyone - Thanks for the replies It definitely does look odd!

Dave - Thanks on the pic! Does look to be half gull/half heron

Alan and John - I bet that was especially interesting to see a bird as large as a grey heron swimming around! The other day I saw a great blue fly out from a small boat dock and land in the water (which was much deeper than the bird is tall), catch a fish and fly back to the dock. The herons/egrets are pretty interesting to watch!

 

steve_nova

Well-known member

• Oct 21, 2003

• #9

What a marvellous shot and also very interesting to see.

 

Leslie

Well-known member

• Oct 24, 2003

• #10

Thanks for taking a look Steve

 

christineredgate

Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th

• Oct 24, 2003

• #11

very unusual,Leslie,we have lots of heron here,but never before have I actually seen one swimming.a lovely pic.thanks for your comment re the "Cloud reflections".it really was a truly tranquil view.
Christine.

 

Leslie

Well-known member

• Oct 24, 2003

• #12

Hi Christine! It was definitely an interesting and odd thing to see. You're welcome and thank you for your reply here

Leslie

 

Last edited: Oct 24, 2003

Steve G

RAINBIRDER

• Oct 24, 2003

• #13

Hi Leslie,
It's eerie that I should find your thread now as last week I was in Mallorca & in the wetland reserve of S'Albufera I saw a young Night Heron swim approx. 3m along the main canal in the reserve early one morning. I've seen Night herons on many occasions in Spain but had never personally witnessed this before. I have a video of "Birding in Lesvos" by Malcolm Rymer ( or perhaps its in his Lesvos journals) which shows a Night heron swimming coot-like across deep water to the shallows. I also saw a juvenile Oystercatcher swim across the shallow section of a Speyside lochan earlier this summer. It was initially in silhouette & I convinced myself that it was something special! Apart from phalarope the only other waders that I've seen actively swimming are Greenshank & Spotted Redshank. Despite the above I've never been fast enough or had enough wit to catch it on camera........> congrats on such an interesting & spontaneous image.

 

Leslie

Well-known member

• Oct 24, 2003

• #14

Hey Steve - Thanks for your reply! I'm enjoying hearing everyone's comments and experiences. That must've been interesting to see the oystercatcher swim like that. A friend on another forum asked if the night heron had webbed feet and I replied that they did not, but that their feet are very similar to a coot's (although coot's sort of have "lobed" toes as the books call them). I guess if a coot can swim so well, it shouldn't be out of the question for a heron. Thanks on the pic! I really enjoy your photos

Leslie

 

Tanny

Well-known member

• Apr 30, 2004

• #15

Hi Leslie. I have just found this thread and was delighted to see your photo. I also have photoes in the gallery of a Reef Heron swimming. So glad to find that it is'nt such an unusual occurance

 

Leslie

Well-known member

• Apr 30, 2004

• #16

Glad you enjoyed the photo Tanny. It looks like a few people have witnessed this behavior, but it doesn't sound like it's real common. Maybe we should consider ourselves lucky for having seen it

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Apr 30, 2004

• #17

Leave it to you to find the odd ball. You're spending as much time, if not more, at the water spots than I am these days. Amazing the things you find if you watch long enough. Remember that osprey I found actually hunting in the water? Weird stuff like that keeps occuring when you watch long enough I think.
That's a great shot of a rare happening.

 

Katy Penland

Well-known member

• May 1, 2004

• #18

Wow, never seen this before, either. That is really an amazing shot, Leslie. The whole structure of the bird changes when sitting on the water like that, not like a heron at all. Great capture!

 

Rasmus Boegh

BF member

• May 1, 2004

• #19

That photo just made me laugh It looks so out of place! Anyways, I've heard about them swimming on rare occasions, but never actually seen it. Wow!