GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea).

The grey heron is a wading bird of the family Arderdae. A resident of the temperate countries, they will migrate south during the winter months. When in flight they are very graceful and slow and  are quite noisy with the flapping of the wings.
They can be seen wading in shallow water or perched on top of branches, motionless, waiting for their preys. Small mammals, fish, small reptiles, insect and small birds make up their food chain.
Courtship is a ritual where the male archs it neck, stretching it skyward before lowering to the back. It sometimes snaps its bill and emits a distinctive call.
Nests are built in colonies on top of trees close to lakes, seashores or wetlands. Usually four blueish eggs are laid.
Subspecies of grey heron:
Ardea cenerea cenerea (Europe, Africa, W. Asia).
Ardea cenerea jouyi (Eastern Asia).
Ardea cenerea firasa (Madagascar).
Ardea cenerea moricae (Islands of Baca' Argum, Mauritania).




Perched on top of a branch
waiting for fish or other
 creatures to surface.

Taking off is just as beautiful.

They are graceful in flight.

Sometimes they can be quite playful.

This grey heron just caught a tilapia.