Better than an alarm clock

Round about 5:00 yesterday morning and again this morning I became aware of a creaky croaking outside our bedroom. I had assumed it was one of the crows standing bowing as they're wont to do but it didn't sound quite right so I got up to look out. I carefully, slowly opened the wooden slats of the shutters and there, standing in the pond, was a huge, magnificent heron. It caught the movement and took off, circling the garden before being pursued off the premises, so to speak by a crow (I think). No wonder the fish in our pond have been keeping a low profile recently. Luckily there is plenty of cover for them, the water hyacinths being more than usually rampant this year.

I have never been able to photograph a heron – they are very wary and don't visit on a regular basis or I might be prepared to spend an entire day motionless with camera at the ready. I don't quite know what I'd do with the dogs and cats though! Taking into account the problems to be overcome maybe Barry can devise a method of remote photography. Watch this space – but don't hold your breath!