Heronry report 7: with a foxy cameo
Tuesday, 19. February 2008, 21:26:47
In Regents park, many animals are more tame than you will find in most places. Black headed gulls, dunnock and of course the grey herons, are far more approachable than most places. But today I saw something I would never have expected. But I start at the beginning and with the heronry. pLenty of herons on nests, the highlight being this lovely pair
And there were herons scattered about on and around the heronry island. This one was in the willow tree
while this fella posed nicely for me (and someone with nice Dslr and big lens, who I think noticed me staring at it like a starving child would look at a twix, lol)
Also the coots still hadn't sorted out there differences from Saturday
And now for the best bit...perhaps it noticed Adele had posted without a photo of its species, and needed to restore the balance!? Whatever the reason as I was heading out past the feeding area, just before 1pm, in the blazing (well lukewarm) sun, I saw someones dog loose, off its lead, walking accross the road in front of me. Well I thought I did. Then it was a case of "what the *@%$!!!!!
There I was, staring at a fox, in the middle of London, in the middle of the day, casually walking past stunned people (watching there faces as they realied it was a fox, and not a dog was priceless!). It then went left into the college grounds
before re entering the park further down, and walking back along the path and past me (and another lady who had seen it). He foraged for a bit in front of me before crossin the path
and started foraging that side. Despite looking like he was getting ready to stalk at one point, the ducks/moorhens didnt seem that bothered
and at one point a heron landed in the tree right above it
Ith then continued to forage
getting closer all the time.
Then I t jumped the small fence
and came within a metre of me, and only then did it flinch when I moved. It then left casually the way it came towards more amazed faces. Cant't wait to see what I see there tommorow
(100%)
WIDGETIZE
Adele # 19. February 2008, 21:34
What a superb encounter! Extraordinary, must be very habituated to tolerate that. I see foxes at all hours over the meadows and downland but certainly not at the range of a metre, and I'm usually the only human about! That photo of the fox and the heron - great!
(And I do apologise to any foxes that I angered by leaving them out of my pigeon post!)
Neil # 19. February 2008, 21:48
Lois # 19. February 2008, 22:14
Words # 22. February 2008, 23:54