Herons nesting

We think our visitors are a delightful bunch, who help keep our doors open to the general public. Some visitors, however, are more special than others. We are not into name dropping, but Mr and Mrs Heron and friends are very welcome return visitors to a tree near our lily pond.

We were thrilled to see this fantastic couple set up their nest overlooking the lily pond, which, you’ll agree, is one of the best views in the historic parkland. The picturesque remains of the boathouse, trees all around coming into leaf: they sure know where best to pitch up. To make sure their efforts were not disturbed, we closed off the footpath around the lily pond. Herons are a protected species under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.

Now the eggs have hatched, which is a sight for sore eyes, and mum and dad are busily feeding their young. It takes a parent’s eye to appreciate these young, because there is nothing cute or cuddly about them. In fact, they mostly resemble newly hatched dragons. Come and have a look: from the bench at the bottom of the lily pond you could be lucky enough to see these fantastic birds yourself.