Black Crowned Night Herons

Roen

Just wondering has anyone ever spotted one of these critters anywhere else in Ireland yet.

Occidental

Might have been one further north years ago, but I can only remember Wexford, Waterford and the South Coast.

Vireo

Hi Roen,

Night Herons are not resident in Ireland but one or two make it here every few years, mainly along the south coast in the Spring. Indeed one frequented Co. Wexford for a few weeks in May/June of this year. They can be difficult to observe as they are usually only active just before nightfall. Why do you ask?

Roen

Vireo wrote:

Hi Roen,

Night Herons are not resident in Ireland but one or two make it here every few years, mainly along the south coast in the Spring. Indeed one frequented Co. Wexford for a few weeks in May/June of this year. They can be difficult to observe as they are usually only active just before nightfall. Why do you ask?

Cheers for the replies.
I'm asking because there were two very close to Waterford city earlier this year in a marsh, around May/June. I was wondering if the people who were telling me were correct. So it would seem that they were. I know two car loads of people came down from Wexford to see them, but they'd buggered off by that stage
Thanks once more.

DéiseGirl

Roen wrote:

Cheers for the replies.
I'm asking because there were two very close to Waterford city earlier this year in a marsh, around May/June. I was wondering if the people who were telling me were correct. So it would seem that they were. I know two car loads of people came down from Wexford to see them, but they'd buggered off by that stage
Thanks once more.

Jaysus I never even saw a normal heron before I moved up to Dublin Roen!

Roen

D&#233 wrote: »

Jaysus I never even saw a normal heron before I moved up to Dublin Roen!

For shame, for shame! If you're down in Waterford anytime there are loads of places you can get great views of them. I counted 18 heron and 14 egret on the Connigar last week. What was odd was that they were in gangs, all the heron were in one group and all the egret were in another. I couldn't get close enough for good shots of them but it was a sight to behold. especially the egret, very strikingly white, you can't miss them.
Closer to home and you'll see both in smaller numbers on the backstrand and on the Saleens. Or along the Suir anywhere, although the best place is probably from Carrick-on-Suir to Kilsheelan.
Or if you want to cheat Kennedy park has a resident heron

DéiseGirl

Roen wrote:

For shame, for shame! If you're down in Waterford anytime there are loads of places you can get great views of them. I counted 18 heron and 14 egret on the Connigar last week. What was odd was that they were in gangs, all the heron were in one group and all the egret were in another. I couldn't get close enough for good shots of them but it was a sight to behold. especially the egret, very strikingly white, you can't miss them.
Closer to home and you'll see both in smaller numbers on the backstrand and on the Saleens. Or along the Suir anywhere, although the best place is probably from Carrick-on-Suir to Kilsheelan.
Or if you want to cheat Kennedy park has a resident heron

I saw the heron in Kennedy Park alright, but this was after I'd moved to Dublin

I guess I'm just going to have to make more of an effort to see less common birds in Waterford (by common I mean crows and magpies and blackbirds and the like). I'm spoiled where I'm living in Dublin, just have to go out on the living room balcony to see a heron on the Dodder, or look out my bedroom window to see a cormorant on an old industrial chimney stack.

You have some excellent pictures there btw