High Rise Living: Heron Style

On one of my frequent wanders through Mount Usher Gardens in Ashford recently, the Irish weather took a breather and treated me kindly. There is something remarkably crisp about a bright blue sky in the cooler months; it makes everything pop, especially the intricate patterns of bare tree branches.

I spotted this magnificent Grey Heron perched high above me. We’re so used to seeing them standing statue-still in rivers or stalking through the reeds that it can be a bit of a shock to see them balancing so delicately way up in the canopy.

Here is an interesting thing I learned: despite being water birds, Grey Herons actually nest in tall trees! They gather in colonies called 'heronries', often at the top of very tall trees like the ones here in Wicklow. This one looked incredibly peaceful, just soaking up the winter sun and keeping a watchful eye over the gardens below. It was a lovely moment of calm in a busy week.