Walking through Rivlin Valley last night, approx 18.30ish, from Rails Road, by the water, with my dog, I saw two herons. Were they both females as they started fighting, how do they live, I am given to understand they are ground nesting birds, and can they fly high, e.g. over the tops of the trees. I have seen one at a time and they appear not to be able to fly high. Does the sighting of the Heron mean the water is less contaminated.
Any info please and has anybody else seen them?

I regularly see Herons both in the Rivelin & Loxley valleys. They are actually tree nesting birds, I know hard to belive but they are. They feed off fish so any rivers/ponds with a decent head of fish are an attraction. I would have thought their feeding range was relatively small so there must be a heronry (they breed together in groups) relatively close by.

Originally posted by sanman
They feed off fish so any rivers/ponds with a decent head of fish are an attraction. I would have thought their feeding range was relatively small so there must be a heronry (they breed together in groups) relatively close by.

My parent live (and I grew up) in a house that sits beside the river, so the herons are often seen flying up and down the valley. They do fly high, a good way above any of the tree at the bottom of the valley, and even above some higher up. I'm not sure exactly where the heronry is, but I think it's up near the Rivelin Dams.

I am employed by the river in Neepsend Lane. I very often see a heron there also, could this be from the same heronry?

They do nest in reeds as well. We had a pair fight on the lawn at my parents house over fishing rights to the pond ! A well netted pond so only the chance to spear the fish.

They definately do fly relatively high as well. Look a little ungainly in flight though.

I see one or two herons in the Porter valley most days, most often near Forge Dam, but they seem to fly over the houses more often these days than they did, looking for fishponds? I don't think they nest in the valley, but I've been told there's quite a big heronry somewhere in Rivelin, which is just over the hill. A couple of weeks ago I watched a heron being mobbed by crows over Trap Lane. The Battle of Britiain had nothing on it!

Saw one in flight on Sunday afternoon at Blackburn Meadows Nature Reserve.

spotted one this morning , herries road pond 07.10 hrs

Originally posted by tas1
They definately do fly relatively high as well. Look a little ungainly in flight though.

Only when attempting to achieve said altitude. Once they get a good glide going they're not so bad :)

Originally posted by spiffymonkey
Only when attempting to achieve said altitude. Once they get a good glide going they're not so bad :)

They look like Pterodactyls!

We have a big colony of them near me on closed woodland. They steal fish from ponds in people's gardens and have broken fences when they land on them because of their weight, but nobody minds because they are such wonderful creatures!

anglers tend not to like herons :thumbsup:

The do look like dinosaurs don't they?

There's a big (Heronry? - Is that what we call a group of them?) living in the trees just inside the wild bird reserve in Ecclesall woods.

one flys over wisewood the same time every morning around 7:15 and again at around 7pm back towards rivelin, a neighbour of mine lost about 40 fish a couple of yrs ago,the bird spear the big fish and throw them out,they like the smaller fish better,to keep the heron off your fish pond put a strong fishing line around and across,and it wont get near,because there legs are so fragile it frightens them away,done this for three yrs and never lost a fish since,doesnt look unsightley as a net as you cant see it.:clap: :clap: :clap:

Originally posted by Internetowl
anglers tend not to like herons :thumbsup:
Probably because they catch more fish than the anglers.There are alot of them about these days.One in Hillsborough park most days,they are territorial so that is why you may see them fighting.

Originally posted by Internetowl
anglers tend not to like herons :thumbsup:

I am an angler and dont mind herons its the bloody cormarants that anglers consider a pest they should all be shot :mad:

Originally posted by craigmason
I am an angler and dont mind herons its the bloody cormarants that anglers consider a pest they should all be shot :mad:

Something iv'e been wondering, the truth I only wish,
are all fishermen liars, or do all the liars fish?

I've seen them fly right past my window in the City Centre at Riverside Exchange

Seen two fishing at Staples before... well not actually *IN* Staples but that River at the bottom of the Car Park.

Originally posted by craigmason
I am an angler and dont mind herons its the bloody cormarants that anglers consider a pest they should all be shot :mad:

I'm sure they don't do it to p*ss you off, simply to eat to live.

What's your excuse?

I live in the centre of Hillsborough close to the river Loxley and often see herons around there.
I also go fishing and have seen herons on numerous occasions.
I think there is something magical about sitting at the waters edge early morning with the mist rising off the lake and watching a heron as it stands motionless waiting to spot a fish.
The heron is the same colour as the grey mist as though it were formed from the mist itself.
After seeing this my fishing trip has been worthwhile I don't care if the fish don't bite.
Maybe I should just take up bird watching instead.

nice to know they are bk. last I heard the heron down river got shoot by kn0bheads!!! :rant:

I agree they do look like dinosaurs, lol. they are huge & I was surprised they could fly, scared me when it did. My dogs used to spot it a mile off, before me & than it would disappear before I saw it. I aint seen it in ages.

I love watching herons while i am fishing but the cormorants are a different matter just ask any angler what he think's of these (seabirds) they are coming inland and causing havoc on fisheries and need to be controlled by any means

am i the only one that read this as 'heroin seen whilst walking through the rivlin valley'? :(

My husband also saw heronsthe other day at Rivelin

Originally posted by BoppinBruce
Walking through Rivlin Valley last night, approx 18.30ish, from Rails Road, by the water, with my dog, I saw two herons. Were they both females as they started fighting, how do they live, I am given to understand they are ground nesting birds, and can they fly high, e.g. over the tops of the trees. I have seen one at a time and they appear not to be able to fly high. Does the sighting of the Heron mean the water is less contaminated.
Any info please and has anybody else seen them?

Herons are relative newcomers to Rivelin - they were rarely seen there in the 1970s and 1980s. At that time, Agden reservoir was the only place where I saw them regularly. They seem to be on the increase locally. As a previous post mentioned, they fly over Wisewood regularly. I think they are en route from Rivelin to either Hillsborough Park (where they are often seen on the north-west side of the lake) or to do a spot of fishing in the River Don around Beeley Woods. This tends to confirm that the Don is much cleaner now than it was 20+ years ago. But where do our local herons nest? Despite spending most of their time on the ground, beside rivers and ponds or in reed beds, they usually nest in trees - and usually communally, in heronries. Does anyone know where our local heronry is?

I often see Heron's on the rooftops of neighbouring houses. They pinch the goldfish from local gardens, Still thats there food for the day. My cat also brings me Goldfish two up to now, and he's well fed.

They are all over S.Yorks,there is a heronry in Hillsborough Park they come back to the same nest every year.Last year they had 4 young,this year I saw another 4 but since the floods I have only seen 3.When they are able to fend for themselves they leave and find their own territory.
Heron in the park (http://picasaweb.google.com/bigdave92/HeronSInHillsboroughPark/photo#5088994118271667650)

What lovely photos - I hadn't realised that there is a nest up in the trees, though since moving to Lincs. I don't go "home" as often. I saw a heron at Malin Bridge last September but I don't think they nested there, though a pair of dippers nested under the (upper) bridge last year and raised at least one brood. The year before, moorhens nested at Hillsborough Corner, among a pile of debris right at the top of the weir. Fortunately there was no really heavy rain that year, or the nest would have been washed away.

My dad lost most of the fish from his pond to the local Heron,He bought a lifesize plastic heron for the side of the pond. It seems to be working, the heron seems to have left them alone since it went up.

Walking through Rivlin Valley last night, approx 18.30ish, from Rails Road, by the water, with my dog, I saw two herons. Were they both females as they started fighting, how do they live, I am given to understand they are ground nesting birds, and can they fly high, e.g. over the tops of the trees. I have seen one at a time and they appear not to be able to fly high. Does the sighting of the Heron mean the water is less contaminated.
Any info please and has anybody else seen them?

i've seen many recently flying over sheffield, especially over the 5 weirs walks, theres loads compared to how many i';ve sen it tthe past. and i've also seen black birds ganging up on the noramlly 2 or 3 against 1 heron, it makes for a really good dog fight in the sky

My dad lost most of the fish from his pond to the local Heron,He bought a lifesize plastic heron for the side of the pond. It seems to be working, the heron seems to have left them alone since it went up.

Bet the fish are constantly worried though! lol.

Bet the fish are constantly worried though! lol.

Funnily enough, we had this conversation over dinner at my Dad's. :D There are only a few fish left now anyway, and they seem to spend more time at the bottom these days :hihi:

...and i've also seen black birds ganging up on the noramlly 2 or 3 against 1 heron, it makes for a really good dog fight in the sky

Yes, I saw the same thing over Wadsley Lane - there were two crows and one heron having a good old aerial scrap. They evidently don't like each other.

i have seen a heron in the pond in shirebrook valley and have seen it fly above my house and rest on the chimney across where a magpie decided to start a fight with it all i can say is silly magpie has you can imagine it didnt stand a chance

Walking through Rivlin Valley last night, approx 18.30ish, from Rails Road, by the water, with my dog, I saw two herons. Were they both females as they started fighting, how do they live, I am given to understand they are ground nesting birds, and can they fly high, e.g. over the tops of the trees. I have seen one at a time and they appear not to be able to fly high. Does the sighting of the Heron mean the water is less contaminated.
Any info please and has anybody else seen them?
Usually they nest in tree tops.As for the water being less contaminated,that allows fish to live and breed,fish attract herons and anglers.This heron (http://picasaweb.google.com/bigdave92/HeronSInHillsboroughPark/photo#5052807202523912434) does not seem to be too bothered.Two fighting will probably mean one is an intruder as they are territorial,I believe they mate for life.

Two or three months ago, before the floods, I actually saw a heron on the weir at the Don by Lady's Bridge, Wicker.
I couldn't believe it. I thought "Crikey! Someone's put a model heron on the weir" then, all of a sudden, as I was watching it, it started moving, wading through the water. I was astounded, couldn't believe my eyes! My jaw was only about an inch from the floor!