I visited Shrewsbury this morning to try and see the long-staying Black-Crowned Night heron that has been present since April 22nd in Quarry Park near the city centre. The bird was originally found at Venus pools but was then relocated to the park at Dingle Lake.
The park was a mass of colour on arrival
Dingle Lake
The Night heron was soon located roosting in some bushes, but did eventually move just to preen. It spent the next hour just sitting in the sun.
American Black Crowned Night Heron
This bird has been reidentified through photographs, which were taken over the first couple of weeks as birders visited, as the subspecies Hoactli. The bird is apparently very tame, and they are kept in captivity, which makes the bird's origin questionable. I have seen this subspecies of Night heron before, back in February 2008 at Mere Sands Wood nature reserve in Lancashire, which also stayed a few months.
Anyway, it's a smart bird that has stayed in tranquil surroundings and is only an hour's drive down the road from home, which was well worth a morning's visit.
