Since the work has temporarily halted, the Herons have returned to the park and have built another nest on the island and had two chicks! The chicks are quite large but still have grey feathers all over and we have been told by an experienced birder that they won’t be able to fly for a little while yet.
The nest is on the part of the island nearest to where the lake edge dips inward, only 4-5 meters away. If MCC start work on the lakes edge – which is the next imminent stage of the development – there is a fear the Herons will be frightened away again and abandon their chicks.
We really hope the work will be delayed a little longer and that the council will welcome the next generation of these beautiful birds as they have been a feature in the park for around 5 years.
If you manage to capture any good clear photo’s of the chicks (they are camouflaged really well) , please send them in and we will feature them here.