Northward Hill RSPB, the home of the Heronry

As the village sign for High Halstow proudly displays, it is the Home of the Heron, nearly 150 pairs of grey herons nest in the trees at Northward Hill. Activity at the heronry starts early in the year and continues through spring, when the young herons begin flying. One of out largest birds and amazingly still a common sight over much of the British Isles. I've never really understood why if the Heron can survive in large number why we don't have similar poulations of crane.This bird is familiar to many but some who live in different areas may never have seen one especially our younger visitors 

The grey heron to give it it's proper name is a long-legged predatory wading bird, native throughout temperate europe, asia and parts of Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but some populations from the more northern parts migrate southwards in autumn. A bird of wetland areas, it can be seen around lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes and on the sea coast. It feeds mostly on aquatic creatures which it catches after standing stationary beside or in the water or stalking its prey through the shallows.

Standing up to a metre tall, adults weigh from 1 to 2 kg (2.2 to 4.4 lb). They have a white head and neck with a broad black stripe that extends from the eye to the black crest. The body and wings are grey above and the underparts are greyish-white, with some black on the flanks. The long, sharply pointed beak is pinkish-yellow and the legs are brown.

As at Northward Hill rspb reserve, they breed colonially in heronries as typified  here. Nesting and egg laying can start as early as January or February, building their nest high up in the tall trees. A clutch of usually three to five bluish-green eggs is laid. Both birds incubate the eggs for a period of about 25 days, and then both feed the chicks, which fledge when seven or eight weeks old. Many juveniles do not survive their first winter, but if they do, they can expect to live for about five years.

It was a favourite sixteenth century dish along with many other birds of the air and fish of the sea and river we can't imaginge our fore bears tucking into. I'm sure it would have featured in the delicacy known to Tudor Kings chefs as Cockenthrice a 17 bird within a bird dish starting off with a Swan or peacock and ending up with a tiny warbler.

This weekend sees the 4th anniversary of the passing of the late Gordon Allison a friend and inspiration to many of us who had the privelege to get to know him. I feel it is fitting to read again the words written about him at the time by Jeff Kirk to remind ourselves of him. I think of him every time I go into Gordons' Hide with the fantastic views over the floods at Northward Hill, a filltting memorial to the man.

Gordon’s career with the RSPB began in 1991 and he has worked at a number of reserves across the country, but Elmley was always a special place for him. Alan Johnson, the reserves manager for Kent said, “The care and dedication he put in to managing the habitat on the reserve was a reflection of his enthusiasm and concern for wildlife. Gordon was a renowned birder and a rare source of knowledge of the distribution and movements of birds in Kent but also travelled widely, particularly to the Indian sub-continent. He was an active member of the Kent Ornithological Society, chairing the Conservation & Surveys Committee.

Gordon was also marvelous company; he was a gentle soul with a dry sense of humour. He had a range of interests that often focused on the quirky and obscure. He wrestled with the Identification of large gull plumages, he went to concerts to listen to bands that no one else had heard of and he supported the equally obscure Glaswegian football team Queens Park.

A person of rare quality who will be greatly missed.”

 Cliffe Pools

Vegetation and scrub clearing operations have moved over to the Cliffe side this week and the islands have been getting a haircut in preparion for this year breeding season which will soon be upon us.

Thanks as always to Rob Budgen for his image of the landing heron at rspb NwH.