Preening Heron

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"We grieve as the blithe birds, never again, leave shingle and elm,
The heron and I,
I young Aesop fabling to the near night by the dingle
Of eels, saint heron hymning in the shell-hung distant"

-Dylan Thomas

I had the great fortune to spend some quality time with a lovely Heron as she preened herself before her well earned sleep. The fishing had been exceptionally good so with full belly she worked grooming her lovely form. Unlike with human grooming, she is not performing these tasks due to vanity, or to garner compliments or likes on her social media. It is necessary for her very survival as her feathers keep her warm and dry during the storms and long nights. Herons are however incredibly beautiful creatures and I could not help but to hang around and pester her with my camera. Once she was done fluffing her downy form I left her to nod off and refresh her energies before the next round of fishing.

© TS Ni hUiginn

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