This morning’s commute revealed the dark silhouette of a great grey heron visible through the early morning mists. It’s lovely to see Britain’s tallest bird flying on broad wing beats in the ‘big sky’ of the open fenland landscape.
These iconic birds of the wetland landscape are survivors when much of the fenland landscape is changed beyond recognition. At times it’s hard to comprehend the scale of change, and visualise that ‘About a quarter of the British Isles is, or has been, some kind of wetland’. (Oliver Rackham – 1986)
Image credit: Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
During the reign of James 1st of England, this ‘... great dismal swamp...’ was so vast it was often described as a sea. It was home to great flocks of birds, an abundance of fish, and an almost unimaginable wealth of biodiversity. History tells us that this was once the richest landscape in Britain. The abundant biodiversity meaning that unlike medieval communities in other landscapes the people of the fens were very seldom hungry. However, gaining control over the watery landscape and its people was not easy. A possible incentive to ‘improve’ these lands by drainage ... was to control often independently minded and non-conforming communities. Wetlands were regarded by governments and by landowners as areas to which ne’er-do-wells, troublemakers and outlaws retreated from the long arm of authority.
Whilst those days are long gone, and much of the enormity of the fenland landscape is lost, the great grey heron still flies over the fen wide skies. And it is always a rewarding sight. Either in flight, or whilst standing stationary effectively ‘fishing’, their outline is instantly recognisable and distinctive.
Whilst Herons have infinite patience in waiting for their prey, they are also crafty fishermen. They have been observed throwing seeds, nuts and fruit into the water, using this as bait to attract the fish they wish to eat. Either by using bait or by patiently waiting silently herons usually kill their prey with a single spear like blow from their beak. They swallow the catch whole. Although at times they misjudge the size of the fish relative to their thin s shaped necks, and can choke by attempting to swallow a fish that is too big for them.
Whilst they hunt in a solitary manner, herons nest in large colonies, called ‘heronries’. They will use the same ones for many years, which means their population dynamics can be recorded. Currently herons are categorised as ‘green’ on the ‘red list of threatened species’ meaning they are regarded as a species of least concern.
This iconic wetland bird is a living survivor from the time when the whole landscape was one vast wetland. Across the bulk of the fenland itself the ghost of the primeval fen has faded...but this morning’s sight of a great grey heron flying in the misty light gave me just a glimpse into the past and of the wild nature of the fens.
Quotations in italics are from: ‘The Lost Fens: England’s Greatest Ecological Disaster’ by Ian D. Rotherham