Grey Heron: Ardea cinerea

Grey Heron (Nari)
Ardea cinera

 

 

Grey Heron (Ardea cinera ) - Known as Nari, Anjan or Sain in Hindi.

 

One of the pitfalls of being an amateur birdwatcher and photographer is failing to record frequently seen birds. That has happened with me: particularly with Herons and Egrets. This large family called Ardeidae contains species variously named as herons, egrets or bitterns. They are present near every marsh, pond or lake - in fact, they are seen near all landlocked largish water-bodies that attract birds. And I, in my rambling through the countryside, have almost always come across these cultured birds sitting in regal aloofness, almost as if avoiding attention, while the feathered proletariat flocking the center stage of  these water bodies usually attract the amateur eye. However, they are always there and provide one with photo opportunities, while the snazzy set of birds fly away. In fact, so stately is their flight and comfort with cameras, Grey Herons offer study of flight and activity. Yet, I have largely ignored them on the blog even though I have many photographs of this family. Chasing the uncommon and unusual is my bane.

 

This year's birding was kicked off by flocking to Kumbhargaon, a small lake-side hamlet set off the Pune-Solapur highway just beyond Bhigwan and Diksal, about two-hours drive from Pune city in Maharashtra, India. At Kumbhargaon this year, Nature reminded me to observe - observe without reservation or bias - all its feathered creations. So the Grey Herons.

 

Grey Herons are usually about a metre long (about 100 centimetres maximum approximately), large, possess long flexible necks that retract in flight; are long-legged and have large wing-spans. They either sit erect with their necks spiraling high above their bodies or are, more commonly, in a more restful hunched posture with their necks retracted into a "z" shaped formation.

 

The Grey Heron sports mostly grey feathers as its name suggests, with white feathers on the ventral side and black feathers forming the crest and two lines on either side of  white feathers of chin, neck and extending to the body.

 

The tail is grey and the dorsal surface is covered with grey and black feathers.

 

The thighs are covered with white feathers and there are white-feather areas on the wings that are called "landing lights" since they look like light on the wings of aircraft. These "landing lights" and thigh feather colouration are a quick guide to differentiate from Purple Heron.

 

Grey Herons prefer open shallow-water habitats - fresh, brackish or salt-water. Its staple diet is fish.

 

It stalks fish employing the "wait and watch" and "slow high-stepping deliberate walk" approach to snap unwary in its beak. Therefore, it is also called Bagula like cranes and storks. Grey Herons are not averse to snacking on platters of frogs, reptiles, smaller birds and worms either. characteristic of swamp-marsh dwelling birds.

 

In this instant case, this Grey Heron was attracted by the noisy Gulls and demonstrated a different predatory technique: 1) Intent by hovering over a shoal of fish as in photos below, 2) the Dive, 3) the Pounce through a mass of Gulls 4) the Catch and 5) Flying away defending its catch all the while manipulating it in flight to swallow it whole.

 

 

 

 

Grey Heron
Fending off a chivvying pair of Common Black-headed Gulls

 

Besides the study, made for good photography too.

 

Photographed at Kumbhargaon, Maharashtra, India on 19th January, 2014.

 

Camera used: Nikon D5100 DSLR with AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm VR Lens