Captivating Bedford Heron Encounter

  My plan for this particular afternoon was to head for a Bedford Park entrance that had a handy Car Park close by a Cinema in an Industrial Estate, and venture into the woods that had provided photo opportunities in the past.

What happened was that I had barely walked more than a hundred yards beyond where I had parked before I came across a lone heron. Carefully, so as not to disturb it I slowly drew closer taking photos, and it casually continued to concentrate on its own plans with total disregard of my presence. I have no idea whether this was due to the care I was taking to move slowly, or whether it simply was totally convinced of its own skill in being able to take to the air swiftly if I was judged a threat.

Looking back, I think it was supremely confident that I could simply be ignored, because at no time did it pay me any notice; it just went about its own business, with languorous ease, almost in slow motion on occasion, even though I moved around to keep it in view, sometimes moving closer. In all my previous encounters with herons at rivers and lakes, I found them wary — not so, on this encounter!

I spent all my time this afternoon within a very short distance from where I started, concentrating on this, one very individual bird! In speaking to several members of the public that stopped to watch the bird and myself, many told me that this heron is frequently to be seen in this location, yet on two previous visits to this particular stretch I had never encountered it before. Sadly,  despite my general concentration, I think I did miss recording it with a successful catch of fish.