Heron Update

A few images of one of  Paxton's Heron families  - definitely three very boisterous teenagers now  competing to get food from the parent and beginning to trial jumps and flaps prior to their first flight. It was very contrasty light in the morning yesterday.

Coot, Grebe and Herons at Paxton

Generally things are going well for our Heron brood with all three chicks now looking ready to fledge while the Great Crested Grebes have 2 or their 3 chicks still surviving the inevitable Cormorant and Otter attacks. The Coots seem to have been less successful - no longer sitting on the near nest and obviously renewing the courtship and mating behaviour.

Final Summer Migrants Arrive at Paxton

While the Heron chicks are getting ready for fledging with short exploratory leaps, the final summer migrants have arrived with the sky full of Hobbies and Sand Martins while the Cuckoo was both seen and heard. More images of the Great Crested Grebe family to come  - fingers crossed the young survive the Cormorant attacks etc.

Nightingale Hunt

A friend was keen to hear Nightingales locally so, on Wednesday, it was off early to Paxton on a hunt for this elusive songster. There were plenty of birds singing and even showing themselves well including the Whitethroat and Chiffchaff and even a Robin with a crossed bill got in on the act. It was beginning to get a bit warm so I was hoping that we were going to succeed and, at last, that wonderful chuckling song rang out from the deep scrub and entertained us with its variety of 'tunes' for a long while flitting in and out of the dense scrub. I only managed a fleeting photo this time. On the walk back the Variable Damselflies and Banded Demoiselles were waking up and we had time for a quick visit to the hides to check on the heron chicks, Coots and Grebes. 

Heron's Tale

 It has been a delight watching a pair of herons at Paxton build their nest, incubate and then bring up 3 youngsters. They are not yet fledged so fingers crossed for them. The image sheet sows the dates and certainly support the facts on heron breeding below. It is also interesting the way the colour palette turns from reddish winter (autumn) tones to springtime green as the leaves come out 

 Grey Herons typically take about one to two weeks to build their nests. Nest building is primarily carried out by the female, with the male bringing materials. A female grey heron lays 3 to 5 eggs per clutch,  at intervals of about 48 hours. Both parents share the responsibility of incubating the eggs, which lasts about 25 days. Incubation often begins with the first egg laid, leading to asynchronous hatching, where chicks may hatch at different times. Both parents feed the chicks, which fledge (develop feathers necessary for flight) at around 7 to 8 weeks old.