KENYA: Black Heron Fishing

A thin swampy strip in Buffalo Springs National Reserve leads to the Esawo Nyeri River, attracting myriad waders, plovers and mud-loving reptiles. Bright green wet vegetation contrasts colorfully with the drier acacia surroundings. Nile Crocodiles negotiate the narrow channels as Black Crakes, Squacco Herons, Three-banded Plovers and Moorhens stalk through the tall grasses.

In this lovely scene, we found a Black Heron, an uncommon and often elusive wader. We watched as the heron transformed into a kind of animated umbrella, fanning both wings out in front of itself in a jerky motion to form an arc over small pools of shallow water. It tucked its head inside its wings, to shade the small pool, thereby attracting fish for easier pickings. The bird’s erect steel grey-blue plumes were clearly visible above the umbrella, though we couldn’t see it’s bright orange-yellow toes hidden in the water. It stayed in this position for five seconds or more before retracting it’s wings and standing upright to look around, before repeating the pose again. We marveled at such a fascinating fishing technique!

photo © adrian binns