Night Heron

Well I've spent far too many hours checking willow trees and ditches for a patch Night Heron over the last three weeks.  

Tonight I went out hoping to find some migrants after a day of mostly rain, and having spent ten minutes checking a large flock of hirundines on Seaton Marshes, I turned around to see this...

North end of the island on the Borrow Pit

Within ten minutes other birders started to arrive, and am pleased to say it began looking a bit more lively. Probably the smartest Night Heron I have ever seen, absolutely immaculate plumage...

Look at the size of that plume!

Massive yellow legs and feet too! And that lovely red eye

I stayed with it until just after 20:30, when after it had clambered its way up to the top of the tree, it took flight and headed off south east towards the sea.  Brilliant to hear it call as it flew, and it was suprisingly loud. There's a video clip in my Twitter-feed which is worth a watch - well a listen!

Only my second Night Heron on patch following an adult also on Seaton Marshes in March 2006.  Have missed one in between, a first-summer which was viewable from Tower Hide at Black Hole Marsh for one day in early May 2015.  I was on honeymoon in Greece at the time!