Gronk goes hunting ~ pic added!

[Debbie]

Gronk is the Great Blue Heron who wintered here last year. Male near as I can tell, and he's very cool. Last year we had a big pond in our main field, so he'd go fishing there daily. Oh yes, and I nicknamed him Gronk because that's the sound he makes as he flies over.

This summer the previous owner told us Gronk was actually tamed, raised by a fellow who used to own a cattle farm next to us. Now the man is dead, and his farm taken over by the Conservancy people. Supposedly he was called 'Petey' and they used to feed him fish. So that explains why he is so comfortable being near us. And no, I'm not about to feed him fish, he can take care of himself. I also discovered he does NOT like the name Petey. He made a very disagreeable noise when I called him that as he flew over the field. So Gronk it is.

But back to his hunting... Our main field was home to Gronk's pond last year, but we haven't had enough rains to fill it for him this year. It's a little soggy in places, but not flooded yet. So I watched him as he surveyed what would be his pond, and then I realized he wasn't just surveying, he was stalking in the grass. Then I saw him dart forward and snatch up one of the voles!!! Go Gronk!!!

My meadows are riddled with millions of these voles. They breed worse than mice and the predators around here love them like popcorn. I'm all too happy with anyone that grabs up a vole and it's fun to watch the various wildlife do their hunting in the fields.

I didn't realize herons would stalk like that, so it was pretty neat to watch him hunting

[colmworthdales]

What a lovely 'post'. Am very envious of you having Great Blue Herons - must dwarf our normal Grey Herons. How lovely to actually be able to watch him hunt Voles. Our Herons catch a lot of frogs etc in damp grass but I bet they would also have a go at Voles if they found a supply.

My Voles are being slowly decimated by my new farm cat who seems to catch mice one night and then voles the next. Not sure how many she is eating, but certainly leaves me a few presents on the floor of the stable where she lives.

[harveydales]

That's interesting. Take the camera next time.

[yanny]

I agree with Pam; take some pictures! I love herons; I think they're so beautiful and there's something surreal and eerie about them. Plus if they kill vermin that's giving them extra points!

[valerie n scout]

ha ha ha Gronk, love it X

[cadeby]

Why would anyone call such a magnificent bird Petey. That sounds more like a name for a pet budgie! Gronk is much better

We get dozens of European Grey Herons (the smaller cousin) in our fields during the Winter. Sometimes as many as 30 just waiting for lunch to come along. They feed mainly on mice in the colder months (no frogs).
Very occasionally, in the early Summer, we get White Storks that feed on voles. It's a amazing to see them being swallowed down whole!

Hope you can get some photos of Gronk,the Pest Controller, Debbie. He sounds very impressive xx

[dalesnfellfan]

I love to see herons in the countryside along the streams and drainage ditches but am not so keen on them in the garden taking fish from our pond, we don't get so many now we've let the vegetation grow up around edge though. A few years ago we had a kingfisher who used to come and sit on a branch of a dead tree beside the pond, haven't seen him since though.

Lets have a photo Debbie if you can get one.

[Debbie]

I'll see if I can get one of Gronk in the upcoming months. I was lucky to get to watch him hunting, though. He stiffened up and started to fly off when he first saw me. I waved to him and he settled to the task at hand, but I'm afraid if I'd tried to get a pic that day, he would have flown off completely.

He sure is a character, and extremely intimidating close up. Gronk loves to show off that 6 foot wingspan. He sent Mister scurrying for safety last year and I didn't blame Mister one bit. The sunroom means we can get much closer to wildlife than usual.

[Debbie]

I've spent all afternoon with Gronk getting pics and videos. Gronk is on the shy side, but mostly the technology has been the bigger issue. I cross my fingers and hope that this finally goes through!

...editing to add that Gronk stands a minimum of 3 and half feet tall, and at least a 6 foot wingspan. I suspect he's taller and broader than that, but I don't have pics that help with the size comparison yet he's one cool dude, though and I hope to get more photos and vids of him over the winter.

[Blackshadow Dales]

Oooooooh, he's pretty cool Debbie!! We have a young heron that frequents our pond, he is not nearly as big as your Gronk.
Awesome pic!!!!!!!!!!!

[harveydales]

Wow! Fabulous pic. I didn't realise just how big he is - we definitely need a pic with something to compare his size to.

[cadeby]

Dec 3, 2014 6:16:23 GMT -1 harveydales said:

...we definitely need a pic with something to compare his size to.

Ha ha. I feel a "left a bit, stop, no, right a bit, stop, quick, quick, watch out, oh d**n it" moment for poor Eldon coming on

Lovely to see Gronk in the flesh. Well stalked Debbie xx

[dalesnfellfan]

He really is magnificent, he just looks like a darker version of our grey herons but Debbie's estimation of size makes him quite a bit bigger.

When I was walking the dog through the meadow today I saw what I think is an egret, like a slightly smaller heron but all a snowy white. he took off from the stream when the dog bounded toward him and flew off just in front of us. I've seen the occasional little egret around the ditches at the side of the bridleways but never one almost heron size.

[valerie n scout]

Oh he's wonderful x

[yanny]

Wow! How amazing I didn't know they were that big. Are they quite rare to see or do you see a lot of them? And does he have a mate or friend?