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Herein are herons

The statuesque heron stands in the shallow waters of ponds and lakes, or at the river’s edge, waiting patiently for their next meal to swim by. They are easier and delightful to spot against muted winter hues, without the usually leafy cover and shade.
Grey heron in flight

Grey heron - (C) Jon Hawkins

Grey heron

Grey herons are instantly recognisable and widespread across the UK. They look almost prehistoric, intelligent and all-knowing with their long legs and necks, grey backs, and black eyestripes. Standing stock-still, they spend most of their time alone feeding on fish or amphibians.

Their sharp yellow bills are perfect for harpooning prey. Also recognisable in flight, their slow-flapping wings are graceful, and long legs held out behind them certainly make them hard to miss!

Herons are also the earliest nesters, often laying eggs in late February and early March, and their nests – called heronries – are the only times that they come together in groups. 

You can enjoy watching herons across Yorkshire, but look out for them too on our nature reserves, including Denaby Ings, Burton Riggs near Scarborough and Kirkstall Valley right in the centre of Leeds. They’ve been spotted flying slowly and majestically overhead at Skerne Wetlands near Driffield.

The grey heron is the likely species recalled when the mentioned but did you know there are other types of heron in the UK too? 

Little egret stood in a grassy field

Little egret - (C) Jon Hawkins

Little egret

The newest of Yorkshire’s herons is the little egret, once a rare visitor to our shores, but can now regularly be spotted around the coastline of England and Wales.

A small, white heron that feeds on small fish and crustaceans, its movement northwards – likely as a result of climate change – has only been very recent, with breeding recorded in Berkshire for the first time in 2007. 

The little egret has also made a come-back; their long neck plumes were once more valuable than gold and were smuggled into Europe during the 19th century, causing populations to plummet until laws were put in place to protect them.

Rather like the grey heron, little egrets can be spotted at our Denaby Ings and Burton Riggs reserves – but you can also keep an eye out for them at Potteric Carr. 

WildNet - Jamie Hall

The bittern

Rarely seen, the bittern is sometimes heard calling out over wetland reedbeds. Bitterns are so secretive and well camouflaged, standing tall and still in their reedbed homes, that it’s a real treat to see one – but on a frosty winter day, there is the potential to spot one in low flight or emerging from the reedbed.

Bitterns are more often heard than seen. The males make their strange ‘booming’ call in spring, which carries across the reedbeds and can be heard up to 5km away on a still night. It sounds rather like someone blowing into an empty glass bottle.

Potteric Carr nature reserve in Doncaster is home to 20% of Yorkshire’s breeding bitterns, with two pairs nesting successfully in 2023 for the ninth consecutive year. North Cave Wetlands near Hull has a regularly-spotted booming bittern which occasionally strays out of the reedbeds to the water’s edge, and they’re occasionally seen and heard at Ripon City Wetlands and nearby Staveley nature reserves. The Trust is hopeful that in time, breeding bitterns will spread out to these reserves too.

Potteric Carr nature reserve in Doncaster is home to 20% of Yorkshire’s breeding bitterns, with two pairs nesting successfully in 2023 for the ninth consecutive year.
Stunning autumnal colours Grass Wood - TOS Sara

The autumn colours were even more beautiful when the sun came out

Photo Credit - Telling our Story Volunteer, Sara

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