13th April – Night Heron in the Landing Bay

Lundy Warden Dean Jones reports a brief sighting of an adult Night Heron (Black-crowned Night Heron) in the Landing Bay area earlier this morning. It initially flew north, past the Beach Road and towards the Ugly, mobbed by gulls. Dean managed to jump out of the back of the landrover in which he was travelling just in time to see the heron flying back south. It flew right past him at a distance of about 25m, across the Landing Bay, through the Devil's Kitchen and turned west, disappearing behind Lametor. This is Lundy's first Night Heron since March 1990 and only the fourth ever for the island.

Update, Good Friday (14th April)

Dean managed to relocate the Night Heron at around 7.30pm on Thursday (13 Apr); it was roosting just above the tideline on the south side of Lametor, below the South Light, and remained tucked up in this location until the light faded. In one of Dean's record shots (see below) the bird is roosting in characteristic Night Heron fashion, with its bill tucked forward into its upper breast, giving it a curiously 'headless' appearance, distinctive even at a distance. Although the legs look yellowish in this photo, during his initial close view of the bird in flight, Dean noticed the pink flush acquired by breeding adults. As of mid-morning on Good Friday, there had been no further sightings, so it may well be that the bird moved on overnight.

Roosting Night Heron, Lametor, 13 Apr 2017 © Dean Jones